1
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Wang Y, Wang G, Xiang W, Liu X, Jiang M, Hu J. Proteasome activation is critical for cell death induced by inhibitors of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) in multiple cancers. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 972:176558. [PMID: 38614382 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176558] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitors of polo-like kinase (PLK) are currently being evaluated as anticancer drugs. However, the molecular mechanism of PLK inhibitor-induced cell death is not fully understood. In this study, we found that GW843682X and BI2536, two inhibitors of PLK1, significantly induced cell death in multiple type cells. The induction of cell death was related to the preferring expression of PLK1. However, in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human colorectal carcinoma cells, which expressed higher levels of both PLK1 and PLK2, PLK1 inhibitors induced very low levels of cell death. Clinical analysis reveals PLK1 presence in 26 of 30 NPC tumor tissues. In in vivo NPC lung metastasis nude mouse models, PLK1 inhibitors decreased NPC progress. Mechanistically, the PLK1 inhibitor did not activate p53, and the cell death was not reversed by p53 inhibition. Moreover, PLK1 inhibitor-induced cell death was PARP- and caspase-independent. Although PLK1 inhibitors induced down-regulation of calpain inhibitor calpastatin and calpain was activated by PLK1 inhibition, calpain blocking did not reverse cell death induced by PLK1 inhibitors, suggesting the non-involvement of calpain. Surprisingly, we found that PLK1 inhibitors induced the activation of proteasome, and the treatment of cells with PLK1 inhibitors reduced the levels of ubiquitinated proteins. And proteasome inhibitors reversed cell death induced by PLK1 inhibitors in various cell types in which PLK1 was preferentially expressed. Moreover, PLK1 inhibition reversed the degradation of proteins including p53, caspase 8, PARP and calpastatin. These results suggest that the activation of proteasome is critical for cell death induced by PLK1 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wang
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Guihua Wang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Xueting Liu
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Manli Jiang
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China
| | - Jinyue Hu
- Medical Research Center, Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital of Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Changsha, 410004, China.
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2
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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. [PMID: 38742431 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00693c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [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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3
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Tapia-Arellano A, Cabrera P, Cortés-Adasme E, Riveros A, Hassan N, Kogan MJ. Tau- and α-synuclein-targeted gold nanoparticles: applications, opportunities, and future outlooks in the diagnosis and therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:248. [PMID: 38741193 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02526-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of nanomaterials in medicine offers multiple opportunities to address neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. These diseases are a significant burden for society and the health system, affecting millions of people worldwide without sensitive and selective diagnostic methodologies or effective treatments to stop their progression. In this sense, the use of gold nanoparticles is a promising tool due to their unique properties at the nanometric level. They can be functionalized with specific molecules to selectively target pathological proteins such as Tau and α-synuclein for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, respectively. Additionally, these proteins are used as diagnostic biomarkers, wherein gold nanoparticles play a key role in enhancing their signal, even at the low concentrations present in biological samples such as blood or cerebrospinal fluid, thus enabling an early and accurate diagnosis. On the other hand, gold nanoparticles act as drug delivery platforms, bringing therapeutic agents directly into the brain, improving treatment efficiency and precision, and reducing side effects in healthy tissues. However, despite the exciting potential of gold nanoparticles, it is crucial to address the challenges and issues associated with their use in the medical field before they can be widely applied in clinical settings. It is critical to ensure the safety and biocompatibility of these nanomaterials in the context of the central nervous system. Therefore, rigorous preclinical and clinical studies are needed to assess the efficacy and feasibility of these strategies in patients. Since there is scarce and sometimes contradictory literature about their use in this context, the main aim of this review is to discuss and analyze the current state-of-the-art of gold nanoparticles in relation to delivery, diagnosis, and therapy for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as recent research about their use in preclinical, clinical, and emerging research areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Tapia-Arellano
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDT), Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile.
- Facultad de Cs. Qcas. y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile.
- Millenium Nucleus in NanoBioPhysics, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Pablo Cabrera
- Facultad de Cs. Qcas. y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile
| | - Elizabeth Cortés-Adasme
- Facultad de Cs. Qcas. y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana Riveros
- Facultad de Cs. Qcas. y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile
| | - Natalia Hassan
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDT), Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile.
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile.
- Millenium Nucleus in NanoBioPhysics, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - Marcelo J Kogan
- Facultad de Cs. Qcas. y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDis), Santiago, Chile.
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4
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Guo X, Yu J, Wang R, Peng N, Li R. Deciphering the effect of phytosterols on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: the mediating role of lipid profiles. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:53. [PMID: 38461353 PMCID: PMC10924343 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01424-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have suggested that blood circulating phytosterols, plant-derived sterols analogous to cholesterol, were associated with blood lipid levels and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). This Mendelian randomization (MR) study is performed to determine the causal effect of circulating phytosterols on AD and PD and evaluate the mediation effect of blood lipids. METHODS Leveraging genome-wide association studies summary-level data for phytosterols, blood lipids, AD, and PD, univariable and multivariable MR (MVMR) analyses were conducted. Four types of phytosterols (brassicasterol, campesterol, sitosterol, and stigmasterol), three blood lipids parameters (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], non-HDL-C, and triglyceride), two datasets for AD and PD were used. Inverse-variance weighted method was applied as the primary analysis, and false discovery rate method was used for adjustment of multiple comparisons. RESULTS Using the largest AD dataset, genetically proxied higher levels of stigmasterol (OR = 0.593, 95%CI = 0.431-0.817, P = 0.004) and sitosterol (OR = 0.864, 95%CI = 0.791-0.943, P = 0.004) significantly correlated with a lower risk of AD. No significant associations were observed between all four types of phytosterols levels and PD. MVMR estimates showed that the above causal associations were missing after integrating the blood lipids as exposures. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these associations, with no evidence of pleiotropy and heterogeneity. CONCLUSION The study supports a potential beneficial role of blood stigmasterol and sitosterol in reducing the risk of AD, but not PD, which is dependent on modulating blood lipids. These insights highlight circulating stigmasterol and sitosterol as possible biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingzhi Guo
- Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, No. 256, Youyi West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710068, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China
| | - Jing Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710069, China
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710069, China
| | - Ning Peng
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Diseases, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710068, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Geriatric Neurology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, No. 256, Youyi West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710068, China.
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, China.
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5
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Gou X, Fu Y, Li J, Xiang J, Yang M, Zhang Y. Impact of nanoplastics on Alzheimer 's disease: Enhanced amyloid-β peptide aggregation and augmented neurotoxicity. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133518. [PMID: 38228001 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Nanoplastics, widely existing in the environment and organisms, have been proven to cross the blood-brain barrier, increasing the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, current studies mainly focus on the neurotoxicity of nanoplastics themselves, neglecting their synergistic effects with other biomolecules and the resulting neurotoxicity. Amyloid β peptide (Aβ), which triggers neurotoxicity through its self-aggregation, is the paramount pathogenic protein in AD. Here, employing polystyrene nanoparticles (PS) as a model for nanoplastics, we reveal that 100 pM PS nanoparticles significantly accelerate the nucleation rate of two Aβ subtypes (Aβ40 and Aβ42) at low concentrations, promoting the formation of more Aβ oligomers and leading to evident neurotoxicity. The hydrophobic surface of PS facilitates the interaction of hydrophobic fragments between Aβ monomers, responsible for the augmented neurotoxicity. This work provides consequential insights into the modulatory impact of low-dose PS on Aβ aggregation and the ensuing neurotoxicity, presenting a valuable foundation for future research on the intricate interplay between environmental toxins and brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Gou
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Yongchun Fu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Juan Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Juan Xiang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Minghui Yang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Yi Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
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6
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Wang J, Dai L, Chen S, Zhang Z, Fang X, Zhang Z. Protein-protein interactions regulating α-synuclein pathology. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:209-226. [PMID: 38355325 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.01.002] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs). The main proteinaceous component of LBs is aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn). However, the mechanisms underlying α-syn aggregation are not yet fully understood. Converging lines of evidence indicate that, under certain pathological conditions, various proteins can interact with α-syn and regulate its aggregation. Understanding these protein-protein interactions is crucial for unraveling the molecular mechanisms contributing to PD pathogenesis. In this review we provide an overview of the current knowledge on protein-protein interactions that regulate α-syn aggregation. Additionally, we briefly summarize the methods used to investigate the influence of protein-protein interactions on α-syn aggregation and propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Lijun Dai
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Sichun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Xin Fang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China; TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430000, China.
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7
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Rinauro DJ, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M, Limbocker R. Misfolded protein oligomers: mechanisms of formation, cytotoxic effects, and pharmacological approaches against protein misfolding diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:20. [PMID: 38378578 PMCID: PMC10877934 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00651-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The conversion of native peptides and proteins into amyloid aggregates is a hallmark of over 50 human disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Increasing evidence implicates misfolded protein oligomers produced during the amyloid formation process as the primary cytotoxic agents in many of these devastating conditions. In this review, we analyze the processes by which oligomers are formed, their structures, physicochemical properties, population dynamics, and the mechanisms of their cytotoxicity. We then focus on drug discovery strategies that target the formation of oligomers and their ability to disrupt cell physiology and trigger degenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon J Rinauro
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Ryan Limbocker
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, 10996, USA.
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8
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Li Z, Hu R, Li T, Zhu J, You H, Li Y, Liu BF, Li C, Li Y, Yang Y. A TeZla micromixer for interrogating the early and broad folding landscape of G-quadruplex via multistage velocity descending. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315401121. [PMID: 38232280 PMCID: PMC10823215 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315401121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomacromolecular folding kinetics involves fast folding events and broad timescales. Current techniques face limitations in either the required time resolution or the observation window. In this study, we developed the TeZla micromixer, integrating Tesla and Zigzag microstructures with a multistage velocity descending strategy. TeZla achieves a significant short mixing dead time (40 µs) and a wide time window covering four orders of magnitude (up to 300 ms). Using this unique micromixer, we explored the folding landscape of c-Myc G4 and its noncanonical-G4 derivatives with different loop lengths or G-vacancy sites. Our findings revealed that c-Myc can bypass folding intermediates and directly adopt a G4 structure in the cation-deficient buffer. Moreover, we found that the loop length and specific G-vacancy site could affect the folding pathway and significantly slow down the folding rates. These results were also cross-validated with real-time NMR and circular dichroism. In conclusion, TeZla represents a versatile tool for studying biomolecular folding kinetics, and our findings may ultimately contribute to the design of drugs targeting G4 structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Rui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Tao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Huijuan You
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China
| | - Yiwei Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics—Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Bi-Feng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics—Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Conggang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
| | - Yunhuang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan430071, China
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing10049, China
- Optics Valley Laboratory, Hubei430074, China
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9
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Samdin TD, Jones CR, Guaglianone G, Kreutzer AG, Freites JA, Wierzbicki M, Nowick JS. A β-barrel-like tetramer formed by a β-hairpin derived from Aβ. Chem Sci 2023; 15:285-297. [PMID: 38131075 PMCID: PMC10732006 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05185d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
β-Hairpins formed by the β-amyloid peptide Aβ are building blocks of Aβ oligomers. Three different alignments of β-hairpins have been observed in the structures of Aβ oligomers or fibrils. Differences in β-hairpin alignment likely contribute to the heterogeneity of Aβ oligomers and thus impede their study at high-resolution. Here, we designed, synthesized, and studied a series of β-hairpin peptides derived from Aβ12-40 in one of these three alignments and investigated their solution-phase assembly and folding. These assays reveal the formation of tetramers and octamers that are stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between Aβ residues 12-14 and 38-40 as part of an extended β-hairpin conformation. X-ray crystallographic studies of one peptide from this series reveal the formation of β-barrel-like tetramers and octamers that are stabilized by edge-to-edge hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic packing. Dye-leakage and caspase 3/7 activation assays using tetramer and octamer forming peptides from this series reveal membrane-damaging and apoptotic properties. A molecular dynamics simulation of the β-barrel-like tetramer embedded in a lipid bilayer shows membrane disruption and water permeation. The tetramers and octamers described herein provide additional models of how Aβ may assemble into oligomers and supports the hypothesis that β-hairpin alignment and topology may contribute directly to oligomer heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan D Samdin
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - Chelsea R Jones
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - Gretchen Guaglianone
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - Adam G Kreutzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - J Alfredo Freites
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - Michał Wierzbicki
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
| | - James S Nowick
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine Irvine California 92697-2025 USA
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10
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Sandler S, Horne RI, Rocchetti S, Novak R, Hsu NS, Castellana Cruz M, Faidon Brotzakis Z, Gregory RC, Chia S, Bernardes GJL, Keyser UF, Vendruscolo M. Multiplexed Digital Characterization of Misfolded Protein Oligomers via Solid-State Nanopores. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:25776-25788. [PMID: 37972287 PMCID: PMC10690769 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09335] [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: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Misfolded protein oligomers are of central importance in both the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, accurate high-throughput methods to detect and quantify oligomer populations are still needed. We present here a single-molecule approach for the detection and quantification of oligomeric species. The approach is based on the use of solid-state nanopores and multiplexed DNA barcoding to identify and characterize oligomers from multiple samples. We study α-synuclein oligomers in the presence of several small-molecule inhibitors of α-synuclein aggregation as an illustration of the potential applicability of this method to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic methods for Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah
E. Sandler
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Maxwell Centre, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Robert I. Horne
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sara Rocchetti
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Maxwell Centre, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Robert Novak
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Maxwell Centre, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Nai-Shu Hsu
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Marta Castellana Cruz
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Z. Faidon Brotzakis
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Rebecca C. Gregory
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sean Chia
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
- Bioprocessing
Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research
(A*STAR), Singapore 138668
| | - Gonçalo J. L. Bernardes
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Ulrich F. Keyser
- Cavendish
Laboratory, Maxwell Centre, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
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11
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Liu Y, Wang X, Campolo G, Teng X, Ying L, Edel JB, Ivanov AP. Single-Molecule Detection of α-Synuclein Oligomers in Parkinson's Disease Patients Using Nanopores. ACS NANO 2023; 17:22999-23009. [PMID: 37947369 PMCID: PMC10690843 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein whose aggregation in the brain has been significantly implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). Beyond the brain, oligomers of α-Synuclein are also found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, where the analysis of these aggregates may provide diagnostic routes and enable a better understanding of disease mechanisms. However, detecting α-Syn in CSF and blood is challenging due to its heterogeneous protein size and shape, and low abundance in clinical samples. Nanopore technology offers a promising route for the detection of single proteins in solution; however, the method often lacks the necessary selectivity in complex biofluids, where multiple background biomolecules are present. We address these limitations by developing a strategy that combines nanopore-based sensing with molecular carriers that can specifically capture α-Syn oligomers with sizes of less than 20 nm. We demonstrate that α-Synuclein oligomers can be detected directly in clinical samples, with minimal sample processing, by their ion current characteristics and successfully utilize this technology to differentiate cohorts of PD patients from healthy controls. The measurements indicate that detecting α-Syn oligomers present in CSF may potentially provide valuable insights into the progression and monitoring of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxian Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Giulia Campolo
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Xiangyu Teng
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Liming Ying
- National
Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College
London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua B. Edel
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
| | - Aleksandar P. Ivanov
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, United
Kingdom
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12
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Lima MCP, Hornsby BD, Lim CS, Cheatham TE. Computational Modeling of Stapled Coiled-Coil Inhibitors Against Bcr-Abl: Toward a Treatment Strategy for CML. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.15.566894. [PMID: 38014060 PMCID: PMC10680756 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.15.566894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The chimeric oncoprotein Bcr-Abl is the causative agent of virtually all chronic myeloid leukemias (CML) and a subset of acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL). As a result of the so-called Philadelphia Chromosome translocation t(9;22), Bcr-Abl manifests as a constitutively active tyrosine kinase which promotes leukemogenesis by activation of cell cycle signaling pathways. Constitutive and oncogenic activation is mediated by an N-terminal coiled-coil oligomerization domain in Bcr (Bcr-CC), presenting a therapeutic target for inhibition of Bcr-Abl activity toward the treatment of Bcr-Abl+ leukemias. Previously, we demonstrated that a rationally designed Bcr-CC mutant, CCmut3, exerts a dominant negative effect upon Bcr-Abl activity by preferential oligomerization with Bcr-CC. Moreover, we have shown conjugation to a leukemia-specific cell-penetrating peptide (CPP-CCmut3) improves intracellular delivery and activity. However, our full-length CPP-CCmut3 construct (81 aa) is encumbered by an intrinsically high degree of conformational variability and susceptibility to proteolytic degradation, relative to traditional small molecule therapeutics. Here, we iterate a new generation of our inhibitor against Bcr-CC mediated Bcr-Abl assembly that is designed to address these constraints through incorporation of all-hydrocarbon staples spanning i, i + 7 positions in helix α2 (CPP-CCmut3-st). We utilize computational modeling and biomolecular simulation to design and characterize single and double staple candidates in silico, evaluating binding energetics and building upon our seminal work modeling single hydrocarbon staples when applied to a truncated Bcr-CC sequence. This strategy enables us to efficiently build, characterize, and screen lead single/double stapled CPP-CCmut3-st candidates for experimental studies and validation in vitro and in vivo. In addition to full-length CPP-CCmut, we model a truncated system characterized by deletion of helix α1 and the flexible-loop linker, which are known to impart high conformational variability. To study the impact of the N-terminal cyclic CPP toward model stability and inhibitor activity, we also model the full-length and truncated systems without CPP, with cyclized CPP, and with linear CPP, for a total of six systems which comprise our library. From this library, we present lead stapled peptide candidates to be synthesized and evaluated experimentally as our next-generation inhibitors against Bcr-Abl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carolina P. Lima
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Braxten D. Hornsby
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Carol S. Lim
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Thomas E. Cheatham
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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13
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Gao F, Chen J, Zhou Y, Cheng L, Hu M, Wang X. Recent progress of small-molecule-based theranostic agents in Alzheimer's disease. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2231-2245. [PMID: 37974955 PMCID: PMC10650505 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00330b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative dementia. As a multifactorial disease, AD involves several etiopathogenic mechanisms, in which multiple pathological factors are interconnected with each other. This complicated and unclear pathogenesis makes AD lack effective diagnosis and treatment. Theranostics, exerting the synergistic effect of diagnostic and therapeutic functions, would provide a promising strategy for exploring AD pathogenesis and developing drugs for combating AD. With the efforts in small drug-like molecules for both diagnosis and treatment of AD, small-molecule-based theranostic agents have attracted significant attention owing to their facile synthesis, high biocompatibility and reproducibility, and easy clearance from the body through the excretion systems. In this review, the small-molecule-based theranostic agents reported in the literature for anti-AD are classified into four groups according to their diagnostic modalities. Their design rationales, chemical structures, and working mechanisms for theranostics are summarized. Finally, the opportunities for small-molecule-based theranostic agents in AD are also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Gao
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
| | - Jiefang Chen
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
| | - Yuancun Zhou
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
| | - Letong Cheng
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
| | - Ming Hu
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Functional Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University Nanjing 211816 P. R. China
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14
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Sun J, Ludvigsson JF, Roelstraete B, Pedersen NL, Pawitan Y, Wirdefeldt K, Fang F. Gastrointestinal biopsy of normal mucosa or nonspecific inflammation and risk of neurodegenerative disease: Nationwide matched cohort study. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:3430-3439. [PMID: 36447380 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15654] [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: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Evidence has accumulated to support the early involvement of altered gastrointestinal (GI) function in neurodegenerative disease. However, risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD) among individuals with a GI biopsy of normal mucosa or nonspecific inflammation is unknown. METHODS This matched cohort study included all individuals in Sweden with a GI biopsy of normal mucosa (n = 480,346) or nonspecific inflammation (n = 655,937) during 1965-2016 (exposed group) as well as their individually matched population references and unexposed full siblings. A flexible parametric model and stratified Cox model were used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS Individuals with normal mucosa or nonspecific inflammation had a higher risk of AD and PD during the 20 years after biopsy. Compared with the population references, individuals with normal mucosa had an increased risk of AD (incidence rate [IR] difference = 13.53 per 100,000 person-years, HR [95% CI] = 1.15 [1.11-1.20]) and PD (IR difference = 6.72, HR [95% CI] = 1.16 [1.10-1.23]). Elevated risk was also observed for nonspecific inflammation regarding AD (IR difference = 13.28, HR [95% CI] = 1.11 [1.08-1.14]) and PD (IR difference = 6.83, HR [95% CI] = 1.10 [1.06-1.14]). Similar results were observed in subgroup and sensitivity analyses and when comparing with their unexposed siblings. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with a GI biopsy of normal mucosa or nonspecific inflammation had an increased risk of AD and PD. This adds new evidence of the early involvement of GI dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangwei Sun
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas F Ludvigsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pediatrics, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
- Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bjorn Roelstraete
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nancy L Pedersen
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yudi Pawitan
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karin Wirdefeldt
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fang Fang
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Bigi A, Cascella R, Cecchi C. α-Synuclein oligomers and fibrils: partners in crime in synucleinopathies. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2332-2342. [PMID: 37282450 PMCID: PMC10360081 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.371345] [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] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein is the general hallmark of a group of devastating neurodegenerative pathologies referred to as synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. In such conditions, a range of different misfolded aggregates, including oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils, are present both in neurons and glial cells. Growing experimental evidence supports the proposition that soluble oligomeric assemblies, formed during the early phases of the aggregation process, are the major culprits of neuronal toxicity; at the same time, fibrillar conformers appear to be the most efficient at propagating among interconnected neurons, thus contributing to the spreading of α-synuclein pathology. Moreover, α-synuclein fibrils have been recently reported to release soluble and highly toxic oligomeric species, responsible for an immediate dysfunction in the recipient neurons. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about the plethora of mechanisms of cellular dysfunction caused by α-synuclein oligomers and fibrils, both contributing to neurodegeneration in synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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16
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Lee K, Choi MJ, Cho MH, Choi DO, Bhoo SH. Antibody production and characterization of the nucleoprotein of sever fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) for effective diagnosis of SFTSV. Virol J 2023; 20:206. [PMID: 37679757 PMCID: PMC10486111 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02173-1] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an infectious disease caused by the Dabie bandavirus, [or SFTS virus (SFTSV)] that has become increasingly widespread since it was first reported in 2009. The SFTSV comprises three essential single-stranded RNA gene segments, with the S segment encoding the nucleocapsid (N) protein. Since the N protein is the most abundant and stable viral protein, it is a useful diagnostic marker of infection. Various SFTSV N-protein-based detection methods have been developed. However, given the limited research on antibodies of an SFTSV N-protein, here we report the characterization of the antibodies against SFTSV N protein especially their mapping results which is essential for more efficient and optimized detection of SFTSV. METHODS To generate SFTSV-N-protein-specific monoclonal antibodies, recombinant full-length SFTSV N protein was expressed in E. coli, and the purified N protein was immunized to mice. The binding epitope positions of the antibodies generated were identified through binding-domain mapping. An antibody pair test using a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was performed to identify effective diagnostic combinations of paired antibodies. RESULTS Nine monoclonal antibodies specific for the SFTSV N protein were generated. Antibodies #3(B4E2) and #5(B4D9) were specific for sequential epitopes, while the remainder were specific for conformational epitopes. Antibody #4(C2G1) showed the highest affinity for the SFTSV N protein. The binding domain mapping results indicated the binding regions of the antibodies were divided into three groups. The antibody pair test demonstrated that #3(B4E2)/#4(C2G1) and #4(C2G1)/#5(B4D9) were effective antibody pairs for SFTSV diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Effective virus detection requires at least two strong antibodies recognizing separate epitope binding sites of the virus antigen. Here, we generated SFTSV-N-protein-specific monoclonal antibodies and subsequently performed epitope mapping and an antibody pair test to enhance the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy of SFTSV. Confirmation of epitope mappings and their combination immune response to the N protein provide valuable information for effective detection of SFTSV as well as can respond actively to detect a variant SFTSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungha Lee
- Graduate School of Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea
| | - Min Ji Choi
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea
| | - Man-Ho Cho
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea
| | - Dong Ok Choi
- Bore Da Biotech, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13209, Korea
| | - Seong-Hee Bhoo
- Graduate School of Green-Bio Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, Korea.
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17
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Meyer N, Bentin J, Janot JM, Abrao-Nemeir I, Charles-Achille S, Pratlong M, Aquilina A, Trinquet E, Perrier V, Picaud F, Torrent J, Balme S. Ultrasensitive Detection of Aβ42 Seeds in Cerebrospinal Fluid with a Nanopipette-Based Real-Time Fast Amyloid Seeding and Translocation Assay. Anal Chem 2023; 95:12623-12630. [PMID: 37587130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
In this work, early-stage Aβ42 aggregates were detected using a real-time fast amyloid seeding and translocation (RT-FAST) assay. Specifically, Aβ42 monomers were incubated in buffer solution with and without preformed Aβ42 seeds in a quartz nanopipette coated with L-DOPA. Then, formed Aβ42 aggregates were analyzed on flyby resistive pulse sensing at various incubation time points. Aβ42 aggregates were detected only in the sample with Aβ42 seeds after 180 min of incubation, giving an on/off readout of the presence of preformed seeds. Moreover, this RT-FAST assay could detect preformed seeds spiked in 4% cerebrospinal fluid/buffer solution. However, in this condition, the time to detect the first aggregates was increased. Analysis of Cy3-labeled Aβ42 monomer adsorption on a quartz substrate after L-DOPA coating by confocal fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation showed the huge influence of Aβ42 adsorption on the aggregation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Meyer
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Jeremy Bentin
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutique, EA4662, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Jean-Marc Janot
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Imad Abrao-Nemeir
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Saly Charles-Achille
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Maud Pratlong
- PerkinElmer, Parc Marcel Boiteux, 30200 Codolet, France
| | | | - Eric Trinquet
- PerkinElmer, Parc Marcel Boiteux, 30200 Codolet, France
| | - Veronique Perrier
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Fabien Picaud
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutique, EA4662, Université Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (UFR Sciences et Techniques), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Joan Torrent
- INM UM, CNRS, INSERM, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Sebastien Balme
- Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR5635 UM ENCSM CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
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18
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Awasthi S, Ying C, Li J, Mayer M. Simultaneous Determination of the Size and Shape of Single α-Synuclein Oligomers in Solution. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 37327131 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c01393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Soluble oligomers of amyloid-forming proteins are implicated as toxic species in the context of several neurodegenerative diseases. Since the size and shape of these oligomers influence their toxicity, their biophysical characterization is essential for a better understanding of the structure-toxicity relationship. Amyloid oligomers are difficult to characterize by conventional approaches due to their heterogeneity in size and shape, their dynamic aggregation process, and their low abundance. This work demonstrates that resistive pulse measurements using polymer-coated solid-state nanopores enable single-particle-level characterization of the size and shape of individual αSyn oligomers in solution within minutes. A comparison of the resulting size distribution with single-particle analysis by transmission electron microscopy and mass photometry reveals good agreement with superior resolution by nanopore-based characterization. Moreover, nanopore-based analysis has the capability to combine rapid size analysis with an approximation of the oligomer shape. Applying this shape approximation to putatively toxic oligomeric species that range in size from 18 ± 7 aggregated monomers (10S) to 29 ± 10 aggregated monomers (15S) and in concentration from picomolar to nanomolar revealed oligomer shapes that agree well with previous estimates by cryo-EM with the added advantage that nanopore-based analysis occurs rapidly, in solution, and has the potential to become a widely accessible technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Awasthi
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Cuifeng Ying
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jiali Li
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
| | - Michael Mayer
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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19
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Vendruscolo M. Thermodynamic and kinetic approaches for drug discovery to target protein misfolding and aggregation. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37276120 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2221024] [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: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Protein misfolding diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, are characterized by the aberrant aggregation of proteins. These conditions are still largely untreatable, despite having a major impact on our healthcare systems and societies. AREAS COVERED We describe drug discovery strategies to target protein misfolding and aggregation. We compare thermodynamic approaches, which are based on the stabilization of the native states of proteins, with kinetic approaches, which are based on the slowing down of the aggregation process. This comparison is carried out in terms of the current knowledge of the process of protein misfolding and aggregation, the mechanisms of disease and the therapeutic targets. EXPERT OPINION There is an unmet need for disease-modifying treatments that target protein misfolding and aggregation for the over 50 human disorders known to be associated with this phenomenon. With the approval of the first drugs that can prevent misfolding or inhibit aggregation, future efforts will be focused on the discovery of effective compounds with these mechanisms of action for a wide range of conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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20
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Waigi EW, Webb RC, Moss MA, Uline MJ, McCarthy CG, Wenceslau CF. Soluble and insoluble protein aggregates, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and vascular dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular diseases. GeroScience 2023; 45:1411-1438. [PMID: 36823398 PMCID: PMC10400528 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00748-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia refers to a particular group of symptoms characterized by difficulties with memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking skills that affect a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting about 6.2 million Americans aged 65 years and older. Likewise, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major cause of disability and premature death, impacting 126.9 million adults in the USA, a number that increases with age. Consequently, CVDs and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk of AD and cognitive impairment. They share important age-related cardiometabolic and lifestyle risk factors, that make them among the leading causes of death. Additionally, there are several premises and hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying the association between AD and CVD. Although AD and CVD may be considered deleterious to health, the study of their combination constitutes a clinical challenge, and investigations to understand the mechanistic pathways for the cause-effect and/or shared pathology between these two disease constellations remains an active area of research. AD pathology is propagated by the amyloid β (Aβ) peptides. These peptides give rise to small, toxic, and soluble Aβ oligomers (SPOs) that are nonfibrillar, and it is their levels that show a robust correlation with the extent of cognitive impairment. This review will elucidate the interplay between the effects of accumulating SPOs in AD and CVDs, the resulting ER stress response, and their role in vascular dysfunction. We will also address the potential underlying mechanisms, including the possibility that SPOs are among the causes of vascular injury in CVD associated with cognitive decline. By revealing common mechanistic underpinnings of AD and CVD, we hope that novel experimental therapeutics can be designed to reduce the burden of these devastating diseases. Graphical abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology leads to the release of Aβ peptides, and their accumulation in the peripheral organs has varying effects on various components of the cardiovascular system including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and vascular damage. Image created with BioRender.com.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily W Waigi
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Cententer (CTRC), Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - R Clinton Webb
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Cententer (CTRC), Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, Univeristy of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Melissa A Moss
- Biomedical Engineering Program, Univeristy of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Mark J Uline
- Biomedical Engineering Program, Univeristy of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Cameron G McCarthy
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Cententer (CTRC), Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, Univeristy of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Camilla Ferreira Wenceslau
- Cardiovascular Translational Research Cententer (CTRC), Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA.
- Biomedical Engineering Program, Univeristy of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
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21
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Pils M, Dybala A, Rehn F, Blömeke L, Bujnicki T, Kraemer-Schulien V, Hoyer W, Riesner D, Willbold D, Bannach O. Development and Implementation of an Internal Quality Control Sample to Standardize Oligomer-Based Diagnostics of Alzheimer's Disease. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13101702. [PMID: 37238187 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13101702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation are pathological hallmarks of various neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), soluble and toxic amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers are biomarker candidates for diagnostics and drug development. However, accurate quantification of Aβ oligomers in bodily fluids is challenging because extreme sensitivity and specificity are required. We previously introduced surface-based fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (sFIDA) with single-particle sensitivity. In this report, a preparation protocol for a synthetic Aβ oligomer sample was developed. This sample was used for internal quality control (IQC) to improve standardization, quality assurance, and routine application of oligomer-based diagnostic methods. We established an aggregation protocol for Aβ1-42, characterized the oligomers by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and assessed their application in sFIDA. Globular-shaped oligomers with a median size of 2.67 nm were detected by AFM, and sFIDA analysis of the Aβ1-42 oligomers yielded a femtomolar detection limit with high assay selectivity and dilution linearity over 5 log units. Lastly, we implemented a Shewhart chart for monitoring IQC performance over time, which is another important step toward quality assurance of oligomer-based diagnostic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Pils
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexandra Dybala
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Fabian Rehn
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Lara Blömeke
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Tuyen Bujnicki
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Victoria Kraemer-Schulien
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Detlev Riesner
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Oliver Bannach
- attyloid GmbH, Merowingerplatz 1a, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428 Jülich, Germany
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Sun X, Dyson HJ, Wright PE. Role of conformational dynamics in pathogenic protein aggregation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 73:102280. [PMID: 36878172 PMCID: PMC10033434 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of pathogenic protein oligomers and aggregates is associated with several devastating amyloid diseases. As protein aggregation is a multi-step nucleation-dependent process beginning with unfolding or misfolding of the native state, it is important to understand how innate protein dynamics influence aggregation propensity. Kinetic intermediates composed of heterogeneous ensembles of oligomers are frequently formed on the aggregation pathway. Characterization of the structure and dynamics of these intermediates is critical to the understanding of amyloid diseases since oligomers appear to be the main cytotoxic agents. In this review, we highlight recent biophysical studies of the roles of protein dynamics in driving pathogenic protein aggregation, yielding new mechanistic insights that can be leveraged for design of aggregation inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Sun
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - H Jane Dyson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Peter E Wright
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology and Skaggs Institute of Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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23
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Das D, Mattaparthi VSK. Conformational dynamics of A30G α-synuclein that causes familial Parkinson disease. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:14702-14714. [PMID: 36961209 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2193997] [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: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The first gene shown to be responsible for autosomal-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD) is the SNCA gene, which encodes for alpha synuclein (α-Syn). Recently, a novel heterozygous A30G mutation of the SNCA gene associated with familial PD has been reported. However, little research has been done on how the A30G mutation affects the structure of α-Syn. So, using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, we demonstrate here the key structural characteristics of A30G α-Syn in the free monomer form and membrane associated state. From the MD trajectory analysis, the structure of A30G α-Syn was noticed to exhibit rapid conformational change, increase in backbone flexibility near the site of mutation and decrease in α-helical propensity. The typical torsion angles in residues (Val26 and Glu28) near the mutation site were observed to deviate significantly in A30G α-Syn. In the case of membrane bound A30G α-Syn, the regions that were submerged in the lipid bilayer (N-helix (3-37) and turn region (38-44)) found to contain higher helical content than the elevated region above the lipid surface. The bending angle in the helix-N and helix-C regions were noticed to be relatively higher in the free form of A30G α-Syn (38.50) than in the membrane bound form (370). The A30G mutation in α-Syn was predicted to have an impact on the stability and function of the protein based on ΔΔG values obtained from the online servers. Our results demonstrate that the A30G mutation in α-Syn altered the protein's α-helical structure and slightly altered the membrane binding.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy Das
- Molecular Modelling and Simulation Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, India
| | - Venkata Satish Kumar Mattaparthi
- Molecular Modelling and Simulation Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, India
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24
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Ferrari E, Salvadè M, Zianni E, Brumana M, DiLuca M, Gardoni F. Detrimental effects of soluble α-synuclein oligomers at excitatory glutamatergic synapses. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1152065. [PMID: 37009450 PMCID: PMC10060538 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1152065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionOligomeric and fibrillar species of the synaptic protein α-synuclein are established key players in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies. Increasing evidence in the literature points to prefibrillar oligomers as the main cytotoxic species driving dysfunction in diverse neurotransmitter systems even at early disease stages. Of note, soluble oligomers have recently been shown to alter synaptic plasticity mechanisms at the glutamatergic cortico-striatal synapse. However, the molecular and morphological detrimental events triggered by soluble α-synuclein aggregates that ultimately lead to excitatory synaptic failure remain mostly elusive.MethodsIn the present study, we aimed to clarify the effects of soluble α-synuclein oligomers (sOligo) in the pathophysiology of synucleinopathies at cortico-striatal and hippocampal excitatory synapses. To investigate early defects of the striatal synapse in vivo, sOligo were inoculated in the dorsolateral striatum of 2-month-old wild-type C57BL/6J mice, and molecular and morphological analyses were conducted 42 and 84 days post-injection. In parallel, primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons were exposed to sOligo, and molecular and morphological analyses were performed after 7 days of treatment.ResultsIn vivo sOligo injection impaired the post-synaptic retention of striatal ionotropic glutamate receptors and decreased the levels of phosphorylated ERK at 84 days post-injection. These events were not correlated with morphological alterations at dendritic spines. Conversely, chronic in vitro administration of sOligo caused a significant decrease in ERK phosphorylation but did not significantly alter post-synaptic levels of ionotropic glutamate receptors or spine density in primary hippocampal neurons.ConclusionOverall, our data indicate that sOligo are involved in pathogenic molecular changes at the striatal glutamatergic synapse, confirming the detrimental effect of these species in an in vivo synucleinopathy model. Moreover, sOligo affects the ERK signaling pathway similarly in hippocampal and striatal neurons, possibly representing an early mechanism that anticipates synaptic loss.
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25
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Iida T, Ando J, Shinoda H, Makino A, Yoshimura M, Murai K, Mori M, Takeuchi H, Noda T, Nishimasu H, Watanabe R. Compact wide-field femtoliter-chamber imaging system for high-speed and accurate digital bioanalysis. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:684-691. [PMID: 36255223 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00741j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The femtoliter-chamber array is a bioanalytical platform that enables highly sensitive and quantitative analysis of biological reactions at the single-molecule level. This feature has been considered a key technology for "digital bioanalysis" in the biomedical field; however, its versatility is limited by the need for a large and expensive setup such as a fluorescence microscope, which requires a long time to acquire the entire image of a femtoliter-chamber array. To address these issues, we developed a compact and inexpensive wide-field imaging system (COWFISH) that can acquire fluorescence images with a large field of view (11.8 mm × 7.9 mm) and a high spatial resolution of ∼ 3 μm, enabling high-speed analysis of sub-million femtoliter chambers in 20 s. Using COWFISH, we demonstrated a CRISPR-Cas13a-based digital detection of viral RNA of SARS-CoV-2 with an equivalent detection sensitivity (limit of detection: 480 aM) and a 10-fold reduction in total imaging time, as compared to confocal fluorescence microscopy. In addition, we demonstrated the feasibility of COWFISH to discriminate between SARS-CoV-2-positive and -negative clinical specimens with 95% accuracy, showing its application in COVID-19 diagnosis. Therefore, COWFISH can serve as a compact and inexpensive imaging system for high-speed and accurate digital bioanalysis, paving a way for various biomedical applications, such as diagnosis of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jun Ando
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Japan.
| | | | | | | | - Kazue Murai
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Japan.
| | - Makiko Mori
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Japan.
| | - Hiroaki Takeuchi
- Department of Molecular Virology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
| | - Takeshi Noda
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimasu
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- RCAST, The University of Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Patients with isolated REM-sleep behavior disorder have elevated levels of alpha-synuclein aggregates in stool. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:14. [PMID: 36732520 PMCID: PMC9895074 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00458-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolded and aggregated α-synuclein is a neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Thus, α-synuclein aggregates are regarded as a biomarker for the development of diagnostic assays. Quantification of α-synuclein aggregates in body fluids is challenging, and requires highly sensitive and specific assays. Recent studies suggest that α-synuclein aggregates may be shed into stool. We used surface-based fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (sFIDA) to detect and quantify single particles of α-synuclein aggregates in stool of 94 PD patients, 72 isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) patients, and 51 healthy controls. We measured significantly elevated concentrations of α-synuclein aggregates in stool of iRBD patients versus those of controls (p = 0.024) or PD patients (p < 0.001). Our results show that α-synuclein aggregates are excreted in stool and can be measured using the sFIDA assay, which could support the diagnosis of prodromal synucleinopathies.
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27
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Chia S, Faidon Brotzakis Z, Horne RI, Possenti A, Mannini B, Cataldi R, Nowinska M, Staats R, Linse S, Knowles TPJ, Habchi J, Vendruscolo M. Structure-Based Discovery of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Autocatalytic Proliferation of α-Synuclein Aggregates. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:183-193. [PMID: 36374974 PMCID: PMC9811465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The presence of amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein is closely associated with Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. It is still very challenging, however, to systematically discover small molecules that prevent the formation of these aberrant aggregates. Here, we describe a structure-based approach to identify small molecules that specifically inhibit the surface-catalyzed secondary nucleation step in the aggregation of α-synuclein by binding to the surface of the amyloid fibrils. The resulting small molecules are screened using a range of kinetic and thermodynamic assays for their ability to bind α-synuclein fibrils and prevent the further generation of α-synuclein oligomers. This study demonstrates that the combination of structure-based and kinetic-based drug discovery methods can lead to the identification of small molecules that selectively inhibit the autocatalytic proliferation of α-synuclein aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Chia
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Z. Faidon Brotzakis
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Robert I. Horne
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Andrea Possenti
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Rodrigo Cataldi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Magdalena Nowinska
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Roxine Staats
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Sara Linse
- Department
of Biochemistry & Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein
Science, Lund University, 221 00Lund, Sweden
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.,Department
of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, CambridgeCB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1EW, U.K.,
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28
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Estaun-Panzano J, Arotcarena ML, Bezard E. Monitoring α-synuclein aggregation. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 176:105966. [PMID: 36527982 PMCID: PMC9875312 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), are characterized by the misfolding and subsequent aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) that accumulates in cytoplasmic inclusions bodies in the cells of affected brain regions. Since the seminal report of likely-aggregated α-syn presence within the Lewy bodies by Spillantini et al. in 1997, the keyword "synuclein aggregation" has appeared in over 6000 papers (Source: PubMed October 2022). Studying, observing, describing, and quantifying α-syn aggregation is therefore of paramount importance, whether it happens in tubo, in vitro, in post-mortem samples, or in vivo. The past few years have witnessed tremendous progress in understanding aggregation mechanisms and identifying various polymorphs. In this context of growing complexity, it is of utmost importance to understand what tools we possess, what exact information they provide, and in what context they may be applied. Nonetheless, it is also crucial to rationalize the relevance of the information and the limitations of these methods for gauging the final result. In this review, we present the main techniques that have shaped the current views about α-syn structure and dynamics, with particular emphasis on the recent breakthroughs that may change our understanding of synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erwan Bezard
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France; Motac Neuroscience Ltd, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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29
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Mächtel R, Boros FA, Dobert JP, Arnold P, Zunke F. From Lysosomal Storage Disorders to Parkinson's Disease - Challenges and Opportunities. J Mol Biol 2022:167932. [PMID: 36572237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Lysosomes are specialized organelles with an acidic pH that act as recycling hubs for intracellular and extracellular components. They harbour numerous different hydrolytic enzymes to degrade substrates like proteins, peptides, and glycolipids. Reduced catalytic activity of lysosomal enzymes can cause the accumulation of these substrates and loss of lysosomal integrity, resulting in lysosomal dysfunction and lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). Post-mitotic cells, such as neurons, seem to be highly sensitive to damages induced by lysosomal dysfunction, thus LSDs often manifest with neurological symptoms. Interestingly, some LSDs and Parkinson's disease (PD) share common cellular pathomechanisms, suggesting convergence of aetiology of the two disease types. This is further underlined by genetic associations of several lysosomal genes involved in LSDs with PD. The increasing number of lysosome-associated genetic risk factors for PD makes it necessary to understand functions and interactions of lysosomal proteins/enzymes both in health and disease, thereby holding the potential to identify new therapeutic targets. In this review, we highlight genetic and mechanistic interactions between the complex lysosomal network, LSDs and PD, and elaborate on methodical challenges in lysosomal research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Mächtel
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Jan Philipp Dobert
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Philipp Arnold
- Institute of Functional and Clinical Anatomy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Friederike Zunke
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.
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30
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Controlling amyloid formation of intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides: slowing down or speeding up? Essays Biochem 2022; 66:959-975. [PMID: 35975807 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The pathological assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins/peptides (IDPs) into amyloid fibrils is associated with a range of human pathologies, including neurodegeneration, metabolic diseases and systemic amyloidosis. These debilitating disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and the number of people affected is increasing sharply. However, the discovery of therapeutic agents has been immensely challenging largely because of (i) the diverse number of aggregation pathways and the multi-conformational and transient nature of the related proteins or peptides and (ii) the under-development of experimental pipelines for the identification of disease-modifying molecules and their mode-of-action. Here, we describe current approaches used in the search for small-molecule modulators able to control or arrest amyloid formation commencing from IDPs and review recently reported accelerators and inhibitors of amyloid formation for this class of proteins. We compare their targets, mode-of-action and effects on amyloid-associated cytotoxicity. Recent successes in the control of IDP-associated amyloid formation using small molecules highlight exciting possibilities for future intervention in protein-misfolding diseases, despite the challenges of targeting these highly dynamic precursors of amyloid assembly.
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31
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Fluorogenic toolbox for visualizing protein aggregation: From designing principles to biological application. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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32
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Kulenkampff K, Emin D, Staats R, Zhang YP, Sakhnini L, Kouli A, Rimon O, Lobanova E, Williams-Gray CH, Aprile FA, Sormanni P, Klenerman D, Vendruscolo M. An antibody scanning method for the detection of α-synuclein oligomers in the serum of Parkinson's disease patients. Chem Sci 2022; 13:13815-13828. [PMID: 36544716 PMCID: PMC9710209 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00066k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Misfolded α-synuclein oligomers are closely implicated in the pathology of Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. The elusive nature of these aberrant assemblies makes it challenging to develop quantitative methods to detect them and modify their behavior. Existing detection methods use antibodies to bind α-synuclein aggregates in biofluids, although it remains challenging to raise antibodies against α-synuclein oligomers. To address this problem, we used an antibody scanning approach in which we designed a panel of 9 single-domain epitope-specific antibodies against α-synuclein. We screened these antibodies for their ability to inhibit the aggregation process of α-synuclein, finding that they affected the generation of α-synuclein oligomers to different extents. We then used these antibodies to investigate the size distribution and morphology of soluble α-synuclein aggregates in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from Parkinson's disease patients. Our results indicate that the approach that we present offers a promising route for the development of antibodies to characterize soluble α-synuclein aggregates in biofluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Kulenkampff
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - Derya Emin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 1EWUK,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0XYUK
| | - Roxine Staats
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - Yu P. Zhang
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 1EWUK
| | - Laila Sakhnini
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - Antonina Kouli
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of CambridgeUK
| | - Oded Rimon
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - Evgeniia Lobanova
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 1EWUK,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0XYUK
| | - Caroline H. Williams-Gray
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of CambridgeUK
| | - Francesco A. Aprile
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - Pietro Sormanni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 1EWUK,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0XYUK
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of CambridgeCambridge CB2 1EWUK
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A Long Journey into the Investigation of the Structure–Dynamics–Function Paradigm in Proteins through the Activities of the Palermo Biophysics Group. BIOPHYSICA 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/biophysica2040040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
An overview of the biophysics activity at the Department of Physics and Chemistry Emilio Segrè of the University of Palermo is given. For forty years, the focus of the research has been on the protein structure–dynamics–function paradigm, with the aim of understanding the molecular basis of the relevant mechanisms and the key role of solvent. At least three research lines are identified; the main results obtained in collaboration with other groups in Italy and abroad are presented. This review is dedicated to the memory of Professors Massimo Ugo Palma, Maria Beatrice Palma Vittorelli, and Lorenzo Cordone, which were the founders of the Palermo School of Biophysics. We all have been, directly or indirectly, their pupils; we miss their enthusiasm for scientific research, their deep physical insights, their suggestions, their strict but always constructive criticisms, and, most of all, their friendship. This paper is dedicated also to the memory of Prof. Hans Frauenfelder, whose pioneering works on nonexponential rebinding kinetics, protein substates, and energy landscape have inspired a large part of our work in the field of protein dynamics.
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34
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Dasari AKR, Yi S, Coats MF, Wi S, Lim KH. Toxic Misfolded Transthyretin Oligomers with Different Molecular Conformations Formed through Distinct Oligomerization Pathways. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2358-2365. [PMID: 36219173 PMCID: PMC9665167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00390] [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] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is initiated by structural changes from native polypeptides to cytotoxic oligomers, which form cross-β structured amyloid. Identification and characterization of oligomeric intermediates are critically important for understanding not only the molecular mechanism of aggregation but also the cytotoxic nature of amyloid oligomers. Preparation of misfolded oligomers for structural characterization is, however, challenging because of their transient, heterogeneous nature. Here, we report two distinct misfolded transthyretin (TTR) oligomers formed through different oligomerization pathways. A pathogenic TTR variant with a strong aggregation propensity (L55P) was used to prepare misfolded oligomers at physiological pH. Our mechanistic studies showed that the full-length TTR initially forms small oligomers, which self-assemble into short protofibrils at later stages. Enzymatic cleavage of the CD loop was also used to induce the formation of N-terminally truncated oligomers, which was detected in ex vivo cardiac TTR aggregates extracted from the tissues of patients. Structural characterization of the oligomers using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism revealed that the two TTR misfolded oligomers have distinct molecular conformations. In addition, the proteolytically cleaved TTR oligomers exhibit a higher surface hydrophobicity, suggesting the presence of distinct oligomerization pathways for TTR oligomer formation. Cytotoxicity assays also revealed that the cytotoxicity of cleaved oligomers is stronger than that of the full-length TTR oligomers, indicating that hydrophobicity might be an important property of toxic oligomers. These comparative biophysical analyses suggest that the toxic cleaved TTR oligomers formed through a different misfoling pathway may adopt distinct structural features that produce higher surface hydrophobicity, leading to the stronger cytotoxic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K. R. Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Sujung Yi
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Matthew F. Coats
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Sungsool Wi
- Interdisciplinary Magnetic Resonance (CIMAR), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), 1800 East, Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
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35
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Hundt N, Cole D, Hantke MF, Miller JJ, Struwe WB, Kukura P. Direct observation of the molecular mechanism underlying protein polymerization. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm7935. [PMID: 36044567 PMCID: PMC9432825 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Protein assembly is a main route to generating complexity in living systems. Revealing the relevant molecular details is challenging because of the intrinsic heterogeneity of species ranging from few to hundreds of molecules. Here, we use mass photometry to quantify and monitor the full range of actin oligomers during polymerization with single-molecule sensitivity. We find that traditional nucleation-based models cannot account for the observed distributions of actin oligomers. Instead, the key step of filament formation is a slow transition between distinct states of an actin filament mediated by cation exchange or ATP hydrolysis. The resulting model reproduces important aspects of actin polymerization, such as the critical concentration for filament formation and bulk growth behavior. Our results revise the mechanism of actin nucleation, shed light on the role and function of actin-associated proteins, and introduce a general and quantitative means to studying protein assembly at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Hundt
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniel Cole
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Oxford, UK
| | - Max F. Hantke
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Oxford, UK
| | - Jack J. Miller
- Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
- The PET Research Centre and The MR Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Weston B. Struwe
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Oxford, UK
| | - Philipp Kukura
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
- The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Oxford, UK
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36
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Bell R, Thrush RJ, Castellana-Cruz M, Oeller M, Staats R, Nene A, Flagmeier P, Xu CK, Satapathy S, Galvagnion C, Wilson MR, Dobson CM, Kumita JR, Vendruscolo M. N-Terminal Acetylation of α-Synuclein Slows down Its Aggregation Process and Alters the Morphology of the Resulting Aggregates. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1743-1756. [PMID: 35944093 PMCID: PMC9454101 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Parkinson’s disease is associated with the aberrant
aggregation
of α-synuclein. Although the causes of this process are still
unclear, post-translational modifications of α-synuclein are
likely to play a modulatory role. Since α-synuclein is constitutively
N-terminally acetylated, we investigated how this post-translational
modification alters the aggregation behavior of this protein. By applying
a three-pronged aggregation kinetics approach, we observed that N-terminal
acetylation results in a reduced rate of lipid-induced aggregation
and slows down both elongation and fibril-catalyzed aggregate proliferation.
An analysis of the amyloid fibrils produced by the aggregation process
revealed different morphologies for the acetylated and non-acetylated
forms in both lipid-induced aggregation and seed-induced aggregation
assays. In addition, we found that fibrils formed by acetylated α-synuclein
exhibit a lower β-sheet content. These findings indicate that
N-terminal acetylation of α-synuclein alters its lipid-dependent
aggregation behavior, reduces its rate of in vitro aggregation, and
affects the structural properties of its fibrillar aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Bell
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Rebecca J Thrush
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Marta Castellana-Cruz
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Marc Oeller
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Roxine Staats
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Aishwarya Nene
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Patrick Flagmeier
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Catherine K Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Sandeep Satapathy
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavantik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Celine Galvagnion
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Mark R Wilson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Molecular Horizons Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Christopher M Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Janet R Kumita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PD, U.K
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
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37
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Tian Y, Liu J, Yang F, Lian C, Zhang H, Viles JH, Li Z. Therapeutic potential for amyloid surface inhibitor: only amyloid-β oligomers formed by secondary nucleation disrupt lipid membrane integrity. FEBS J 2022; 289:6767-6781. [PMID: 35670622 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) aggregation is a promising therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD), as Aβ aggregation is generally believed to trigger AD pathology. Pre-fibril Aβ-oligomers induce membrane disruption and are crucial to neurotoxicity. We have previously designed a short peptide called cyclic helical amyloid surface inhibitor (cHASI) that can selectively bind to the Aβ fibril surface. Here, we use cHASI to efficiently inhibit the surface-catalysed secondary nucleation process of Aβ in a lipid membrane environment. By incubating Aβ monomers with lipid vesicles, we show that during the assembly of Aβ into amyloid fibrils, oligomers are formed that markedly disrupt the lipid bilayer. Remarkably, when Aβ monomers are incubated with cHASI, although Aβ forms amyloid fibrils via primary nucleation and elongation, this pathway to fibrils does not damage the lipid bilayer. This indicates that only oligomers produced during secondary surface nucleation disrupt membrane integrity. The protective effect of cHASI is confirmed by cytotoxicity assays. Our study highlights the therapeutic potential for inhibiting the secondary nucleation process in Aβ aggregation, rather than inhibiting all pathways to fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Tian
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | - Jianbo Liu
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, China
| | - Fadeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, China
| | - Chenshan Lian
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, China
| | - Huawei Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - John H Viles
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, UK
| | - Zigang Li
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, China.,State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, China
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38
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Blömeke L, Pils M, Kraemer-Schulien V, Dybala A, Schaffrath A, Kulawik A, Rehn F, Cousin A, Nischwitz V, Willbold J, Zack R, Tropea TF, Bujnicki T, Tamgüney G, Weintraub D, Irwin D, Grossman M, Wolk DA, Trojanowski JQ, Bannach O, Chen-Plotkin A, Willbold D. Quantitative detection of α-Synuclein and Tau oligomers and other aggregates by digital single particle counting. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2022; 8:68. [PMID: 35655068 PMCID: PMC9163356 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-022-00330-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases is the formation of toxic oligomers by proteins such as alpha-synuclein (aSyn) or microtubule-associated protein tau (Tau). Consequently, such oligomers are promising biomarker candidates for diagnostics as well as drug development. However, measuring oligomers and other aggregates in human biofluids is still challenging as extreme sensitivity and specificity are required. We previously developed surface-based fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (sFIDA) featuring single-particle sensitivity and absolute specificity for aggregates. In this work, we measured aSyn and Tau aggregate concentrations of 237 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from five cohorts: Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and a neurologically-normal control group. aSyn aggregate concentration discriminates PD and DLB patients from normal controls (sensitivity 73%, specificity 65%, area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) 0.68). Tau aggregates were significantly elevated in PSP patients compared to all other groups (sensitivity 87%, specificity 70%, AUC 0.76). Further, we found a tight correlation between aSyn and Tau aggregate titers among all patient cohorts (Pearson coefficient of correlation r = 0.81). Our results demonstrate that aSyn and Tau aggregate concentrations measured by sFIDA differentiate neurodegenerative disease diagnostic groups. Moreover, sFIDA-based Tau aggregate measurements might be particularly useful in distinguishing PSP from other parkinsonisms. Finally, our findings suggest that sFIDA can improve pre-clinical and clinical studies by identifying those individuals that will most likely respond to compounds designed to eliminate specific oligomers or to prevent their formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Blömeke
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany.,attyloid GmbH, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marlene Pils
- attyloid GmbH, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Victoria Kraemer-Schulien
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexandra Dybala
- attyloid GmbH, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anja Schaffrath
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Kulawik
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany.,attyloid GmbH, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Fabian Rehn
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Anneliese Cousin
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Volker Nischwitz
- Central Institute for Engineering, Electronics and Analytics, Analytics (ZEA-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Rebecca Zack
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas F Tropea
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tuyen Bujnicki
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Gültekin Tamgüney
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniel Weintraub
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Parkinson's Disease and Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Centers, Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David Irwin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Murray Grossman
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David A Wolk
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Oliver Bannach
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany.,attyloid GmbH, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alice Chen-Plotkin
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (Structural Biochemistry: IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52428, Jülich, Germany. .,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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39
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Löhr T, Sormanni P, Vendruscolo M. Conformational Entropy as a Potential Liability of Computationally Designed Antibodies. Biomolecules 2022; 12:718. [PMID: 35625644 PMCID: PMC9138470 DOI: 10.3390/biom12050718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In silico antibody discovery is emerging as a viable alternative to traditional in vivo and in vitro approaches. Many challenges, however, remain open to enabling the properties of designed antibodies to match those produced by the immune system. A major question concerns the structural features of computer-designed complementarity determining regions (CDRs), including the role of conformational entropy in determining the stability and binding affinity of the designed antibodies. To address this problem, we used enhanced-sampling molecular dynamics simulations to compare the free energy landscapes of single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) designed using structure-based (DesAb-HSA-D3) and sequence-based approaches (DesAbO), with that of a nanobody derived from llama immunization (Nb10). Our results indicate that the CDR3 of DesAbO is more conformationally heterogeneous than those of both DesAb-HSA-D3 and Nb10, and the CDR3 of DesAb-HSA-D3 is slightly more dynamic than that of Nb10, which is the original scaffold used for the design of DesAb-HSA-D3. These differences underline the challenges in the rational design of antibodies by revealing the presence of conformational substates likely to have different binding properties and to generate a high entropic cost upon binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (T.L.); (P.S.)
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40
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Su D, Diao W, Li J, Pan L, Zhang X, Wu X, Mao W. Strategic Design of Amyloid-β Species Fluorescent Probes for Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:540-551. [PMID: 35132849 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a high mortality and high disability rates neurodegenerative disease characterized by irreversible progression and poses a significant social and economic burden throughout the world. However, currently approved AD therapeutic agents only alleviate symptoms and there is still a lack of practical therapeutic regimens to stop or slow the progression of this disease. Thus, there is urgently needed novel diagnosis tools and drugs for early diagnosis and treatment of AD. Among several AD pathological hallmarks, amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide deposition is considered a critical initiating factor in AD. In recent years, with the advantages of excellent sensitivity and high resolution, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging has attracted the attention of many researchers to develop Aβ plaque probes. This review mainly focused on different NIRF probe design strategies for imaging Aβ species to pave the way for the future design of novel NIRF probes for early diagnosis AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dunyan Su
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wei Diao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Lili Pan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoai Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wuyu Mao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, Precision Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610093, P. R. China
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41
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Xu Y, Maya-Martinez R, Guthertz N, Heath GR, Manfield IW, Breeze AL, Sobott F, Foster R, Radford SE. Tuning the rate of aggregation of hIAPP into amyloid using small-molecule modulators of assembly. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1040. [PMID: 35210421 PMCID: PMC8873464 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28660-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) self-assembles into amyloid fibrils which deposit in pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Here, we applied chemical kinetics to study the mechanism of amyloid assembly of wild-type hIAPP and its more amyloidogenic natural variant S20G. We show that the aggregation of both peptides involves primary nucleation, secondary nucleation and elongation. We also report the discovery of two structurally distinct small-molecule modulators of hIAPP assembly, one delaying the aggregation of wt hIAPP, but not S20G; while the other enhances the rate of aggregation of both variants at substoichiometric concentrations. Investigation into the inhibition mechanism(s) using chemical kinetics, native mass spectrometry, fluorescence titration, SPR and NMR revealed that the inhibitor retards primary nucleation, secondary nucleation and elongation, by binding peptide monomers. By contrast, the accelerator predominantly interacts with species formed in the lag phase. These compounds represent useful chemical tools to study hIAPP aggregation and may serve as promising starting-points for the development of therapeutics for T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Xu
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Roberto Maya-Martinez
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nicolas Guthertz
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - George R Heath
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Iain W Manfield
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Alexander L Breeze
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Frank Sobott
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Richard Foster
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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42
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Hampel H, Hardy J, Blennow K, Chen C, Perry G, Kim SH, Villemagne VL, Aisen P, Vendruscolo M, Iwatsubo T, Masters CL, Cho M, Lannfelt L, Cummings JL, Vergallo A. The Amyloid-β Pathway in Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:5481-5503. [PMID: 34456336 PMCID: PMC8758495 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01249-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 427] [Impact Index Per Article: 142.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breakthroughs in molecular medicine have positioned the amyloid-β (Aβ) pathway at the center of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. While the detailed molecular mechanisms of the pathway and the spatial-temporal dynamics leading to synaptic failure, neurodegeneration, and clinical onset are still under intense investigation, the established biochemical alterations of the Aβ cycle remain the core biological hallmark of AD and are promising targets for the development of disease-modifying therapies. Here, we systematically review and update the vast state-of-the-art literature of Aβ science with evidence from basic research studies to human genetic and multi-modal biomarker investigations, which supports a crucial role of Aβ pathway dyshomeostasis in AD pathophysiological dynamics. We discuss the evidence highlighting a differentiated interaction of distinct Aβ species with other AD-related biological mechanisms, such as tau-mediated, neuroimmune and inflammatory changes, as well as a neurochemical imbalance. Through the lens of the latest development of multimodal in vivo biomarkers of AD, this cross-disciplinary review examines the compelling hypothesis- and data-driven rationale for Aβ-targeting therapeutic strategies in development for the early treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Hampel
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA.
| | - John Hardy
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Christopher Chen
- Memory Aging and Cognition Centre, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - George Perry
- Department of Biology and Neurosciences Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Cell Therapy Center, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul Aisen
- USC Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Takeshi Iwatsubo
- Department of Neuropathology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Colin L Masters
- Laureate Professor of Dementia Research, Florey Institute and The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Min Cho
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA
| | - Lars Lannfelt
- Uppsala University, Department of of Public Health/Geriatrics, Uppsala, Sweden
- BioArctic AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Andrea Vergallo
- Eisai Inc., Neurology Business Group, Woodcliff Lake, NJ, USA.
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43
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Errico S, Ramshini H, Capitini C, Canale C, Spaziano M, Barbut D, Calamai M, Zasloff M, Oropesa-Nuñez R, Vendruscolo M, Chiti F. Quantitative Measurement of the Affinity of Toxic and Nontoxic Misfolded Protein Oligomers for Lipid Bilayers and of its Modulation by Lipid Composition and Trodusquemine. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3189-3202. [PMID: 34382791 PMCID: PMC8414483 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with the self-assembly of peptides and proteins into fibrillar aggregates. Soluble misfolded oligomers formed during the aggregation process, or released by mature fibrils, play a relevant role in neurodegenerative processes through their interactions with neuronal membranes. However, the determinants of the cytotoxicity of these oligomers are still unclear. Here we used liposomes and toxic and nontoxic oligomers formed by the same protein to measure quantitatively the affinity of the two oligomeric species for lipid membranes. To this aim, we quantified the perturbation to the lipid membranes caused by the two oligomers by using the fluorescence quenching of two probes embedded in the polar and apolar regions of the lipid membranes and a well-defined protein-oligomer binding assay using fluorescently labeled oligomers to determine the Stern-Volmer and dissociation constants, respectively. With both approaches, we found that the toxic oligomers have a membrane affinity 20-25 times higher than that of nontoxic oligomers. Circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, and FRET indicated that neither oligomer type changes its structure upon membrane interaction. Using liposomes enriched with trodusquemine, a potential small molecule drug known to penetrate lipid membranes and make them refractory to toxic oligomers, we found that the membrane affinity of the oligomers was remarkably lower. At protective concentrations of the small molecule, the binding of the oligomers to the lipid membranes was fully prevented. Furthermore, the affinity of the toxic oligomers for the lipid membranes was found to increase and slightly decrease with GM1 ganglioside and cholesterol content, respectively, indicating that physicochemical properties of lipid membranes modulate their affinity for misfolded oligomeric species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Errico
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Hassan Ramshini
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
- Department
of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran 19395-4697, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Claudia Capitini
- European
Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Florence, Sesto
Fiorentino 50019, Italy
| | - Claudio Canale
- Department
of Physics, University of Genoa, Genoa 16146, Italy
| | - Martina Spaziano
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
| | - Denise Barbut
- Enterin
Inc., 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
| | - Martino Calamai
- European
Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
- National
Institute of Optics, National Research Council
of Italy (CNR), Florence 50125, Italy
| | - Michael Zasloff
- Enterin
Inc., 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
- MedStar-Georgetown
Transplant Institute, Georgetown University
School of Medicine, Washington D.C. 20007, United States
| | - Reinier Oropesa-Nuñez
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala
University, Uppsala SE-751 03, Sweden
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre
for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department
of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Italy
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44
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Bell R, Vendruscolo M. Modulation of the Interactions Between α-Synuclein and Lipid Membranes by Post-translational Modifications. Front Neurol 2021; 12:661117. [PMID: 34335440 PMCID: PMC8319954 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.661117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is characterised by the presence in brain tissue of aberrant inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are deposits composed by α-synuclein and a variety of other cellular components, including in particular lipid membranes. The dysregulation of the balance between lipid homeostasis and α-synuclein homeostasis is therefore likely to be closely involved in the onset and progression of Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. As our understanding of this balance is increasing, we describe recent advances in the characterisation of the role of post-translational modifications in modulating the interactions of α-synuclein with lipid membranes. We then discuss the impact of these advances on the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools for synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Disease, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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45
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Exploring amyloid oligomers with peptide model systems. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 64:106-115. [PMID: 34229162 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The assembly of amyloidogenic peptides and proteins, such as the β-amyloid peptide, α-synuclein, huntingtin, tau, and islet amyloid polypeptide, into amyloid fibrils and oligomers is directly linked to amyloid diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, frontotemporal dementias, and type II diabetes. Although amyloid oligomers have emerged as especially important in amyloid diseases, high-resolution structures of the oligomers formed by full-length amyloidogenic peptides and proteins have remained elusive. Investigations of oligomers assembled from fragments or stabilized β-hairpin segments of amyloidogenic peptides and proteins have allowed investigators to illuminate some of the structural, biophysical, and biological properties of amyloid oligomers. Here, we summarize recent advances in the application of these peptide model systems to investigate and understand the structures, biological properties, and biophysical properties of amyloid oligomers.
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46
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Limbocker R, Staats R, Chia S, Ruggeri FS, Mannini B, Xu CK, Perni M, Cascella R, Bigi A, Sasser LR, Block NR, Wright AK, Kreiser RP, Custy ET, Meisl G, Errico S, Habchi J, Flagmeier P, Kartanas T, Hollows JE, Nguyen LT, LeForte K, Barbut D, Kumita JR, Cecchi C, Zasloff M, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, Chiti F, Vendruscolo M. Squalamine and Its Derivatives Modulate the Aggregation of Amyloid-β and α-Synuclein and Suppress the Toxicity of Their Oligomers. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:680026. [PMID: 34220435 PMCID: PMC8249941 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.680026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The aberrant aggregation of proteins is a key molecular event in the development and progression of a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders. We have shown previously that squalamine and trodusquemine, two natural products in the aminosterol class, can modulate the aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and of α-synuclein (αS), which are associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this work, we expand our previous analyses to two squalamine derivatives, des-squalamine and α-squalamine, obtaining further insights into the mechanism by which aminosterols modulate Aβ and αS aggregation. We then characterize the ability of these small molecules to alter the physicochemical properties of stabilized oligomeric species in vitro and to suppress the toxicity of these aggregates to varying degrees toward human neuroblastoma cells. We found that, despite the fact that these aminosterols exert opposing effects on Aβ and αS aggregation under the conditions that we tested, the modifications that they induced to the toxicity of oligomers were similar. Our results indicate that the suppression of toxicity is mediated by the displacement of toxic oligomeric species from cellular membranes by the aminosterols. This study, thus, provides evidence that aminosterols could be rationally optimized in drug discovery programs to target oligomer toxicity in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Limbocker
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Roxine Staats
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Chia
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco S. Ruggeri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine K. Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Perni
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Liam R. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Natalie R. Block
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Aidan K. Wright
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Ryan P. Kreiser
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Edward T. Custy
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Georg Meisl
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Errico
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Johnny Habchi
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Flagmeier
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tadas Kartanas
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jared E. Hollows
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Lam T. Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | - Kathleen LeForte
- Department of Chemistry & Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States
| | | | - Janet R. Kumita
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michael Zasloff
- Enterin Inc., Philadelphia, PA, United States
- MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Michele Vendruscolo
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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