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Leite JP, Costa-Rodrigues D, Gales L. Inhibitors of Transthyretin Amyloidosis: How to Rank Drug Candidates Using X-ray Crystallography Data. Molecules 2024; 29:895. [PMID: 38398647 PMCID: PMC10893244 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040895] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloidosis is a group of protein misfolding diseases, which include spongiform encephalopathies, Alzheimer's disease and transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis; all of them are characterized by extracellular deposits of an insoluble fibrillar protein. TTR amyloidosis is a highly debilitating and life-threatening disease. Patients carry less stable TTR homotetramers that are prone to dissociation into non-native monomers, which in turn rapidly self-assemble into oligomers and, ultimately, amyloid fibrils. Liver transplantation to induce the production of wild-type TTR was the only therapeutic strategy until recently. A promising approach to ameliorate transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is based on the so-called TTR kinetic stabilizers. More than 1000 TTR stabilizers have already been tested by many research groups, but the diversity of experimental techniques and conditions used hampers an objective prioritization of the compounds. One of the most reliable and unambiguous techniques applied to determine the structures of the TTR/drug complexes is X-ray diffraction. Most of the potential inhibitors bind in the TTR channel and the crystal structures reveal the atomic details of the interaction between the protein and the compound. Here we suggest that the stabilization effect is associated with a compaction of the quaternary structure of the protein and propose a scoring function to rank drugs based on X-ray crystallography data.
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Affiliation(s)
- José P. Leite
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Diogo Costa-Rodrigues
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Gales
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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2
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Ciccone L, Camodeca C, Tonali N, Barlettani L, Rossello A, Fruchart Gaillard C, Kaffy J, Petrarolo G, La Motta C, Nencetti S, Orlandini E. New Hybrid Compounds Incorporating Natural Products as Multifunctional Agents against Alzheimer's Disease. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2369. [PMID: 37896129 PMCID: PMC10610016 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102369] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A series of new hybrid derivatives 1a-c, 2a-c, 3a-c, 4a-c, 5a-c, inspired by nature, were synthesized and studied as multifunctional agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These compounds were designed to merge together the trifluoromethyl benzyloxyaminic bioactive moiety, previously identified, with different acids available in nature. The ability of the synthesized compounds to chelate biometals, such as Cu2+, Zn2+ and Fe2+, was studied by UV-Vis spectrometer, and through a preliminary screening their antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH. Then, selected compounds were tested by in vitro ABTS free radical method and ex vivo rat brain TBARS assay. Compounds 2a-c, combining the strongest antioxidant and biometal chelators activities, were studied for their ability to contrast Aβ1-40 fibrillization process. Finally, starting from the promising profile obtained for compound 2a, we evaluated if it could be able to induce a positive cross-interaction between transthyretin (TTR) and Aβ in presence and in absence of Cu2+.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Ciccone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Caterina Camodeca
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Nicolò Tonali
- CNRS, BioCIS, Bâtiment Henri Moissan, Université Paris-Saclay, 17 Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France; (N.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Lucia Barlettani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Armando Rossello
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Carole Fruchart Gaillard
- CEA, INRAE, Département Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), SIMoS, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;
| | - Julia Kaffy
- CNRS, BioCIS, Bâtiment Henri Moissan, Université Paris-Saclay, 17 Av. des Sciences, 91400 Orsay, France; (N.T.); (J.K.)
| | - Giovanni Petrarolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Concettina La Motta
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Susanna Nencetti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.C.); (L.B.); (A.R.); (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Elisabetta Orlandini
- Research Center “E. Piaggio”, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy;
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via Santa Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Sanguinetti C, Minniti M, Susini V, Caponi L, Panichella G, Castiglione V, Aimo A, Emdin M, Vergaro G, Franzini M. The Journey of Human Transthyretin: Synthesis, Structure Stability, and Catabolism. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081906. [PMID: 36009453 PMCID: PMC9405911 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetrameric protein mainly synthesised by the liver and the choroid plexus whose function is to carry the thyroid hormone thyroxine and the retinol-binding protein bound to retinol in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. When the stability of the tetrameric structure is lost, it breaks down, paving the way for the aggregation of TTR monomers into insoluble fibrils leading to transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis, a progressive disorder mainly affecting the heart and nervous system. Several TTR gene mutations have been characterised as destabilisers of TTR structure and are associated with hereditary forms of ATTR amyloidosis. The reason why also the wild-type TTR is intrinsically amyloidogenic in some subjects is largely unknown. The aim of the review is to give an overview of the TTR biological life cycle which is largely unknown. For this purpose, the current knowledge on TTR physiological metabolism, from its synthesis to its catabolism, is described. Furthermore, a large section of the review is dedicated to examining in depth the role of mutations and physiological ligands on the stability of TTR tetramers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Sanguinetti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marianna Minniti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Susini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Caponi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giorgia Panichella
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Castiglione
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Alberto Aimo
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Emdin
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vergaro
- “Health Science” Interdisciplinary Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- Cardiology Division, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Maria Franzini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Treatment of Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy: The Current Options, the Future, and the Challenges. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11082148. [PMID: 35456241 PMCID: PMC9031576 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11082148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a progressively debilitating, rare disease associated with high mortality. ATTR-CM occurs when TTR amyloid protein builds up in the myocardium along with different organs, most commonly the peripheral and the autonomic nervous systems. Managing the cardiac complications with standard heart failure medications is difficult due to the challenge to maintain a balance between the high filling pressure associated with restricted ventricular volume and the low cardiac output. To date, tafamidis is the only agent approved for ATTR-CM treatment. Besides, several agents, including green tea, tolcapone, and diflunisal, are used off-label in ATTR-CM patients. Novel therapies using RNA interference also offer clinical promise. Patisiran and inotersen are currently approved for ATTR-polyneuropathy of hereditary origin and are under investigation for ATTR-CM. Monoclonal antibodies in the early development phases carry hope for amyloid deposit clearance. Despite several drug candidates in the clinical development pipeline, the small ATTR-CM patient population raises several challenges. This review describes current and future therapies for ATTR-CM and sheds light on the clinical development hurdles facing them.
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Cotrina EY, Santos LM, Rivas J, Blasi D, Leite JP, Liz MA, Busquets MA, Planas A, Prohens R, Gimeno A, Jiménez-Barbero J, Gales L, Llop J, Quintana J, Cardoso I, Arsequell G. Targeting transthyretin in Alzheimer's disease: Drug discovery of small-molecule chaperones as disease-modifying drug candidates for Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 226:113847. [PMID: 34555615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) has a well-established role in neuroprotection in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We have setup a drug discovery program of small-molecule compounds that act as chaperones enhancing TTR/Amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) interactions. A combination of computational drug repurposing approaches and in vitro biological assays have resulted in a set of molecules which were then screened with our in-house validated high-throughput screening ternary test. A prioritized list of chaperones was obtained and corroborated with ITC studies. Small-molecule chaperones have been discovered, among them our lead compound Iododiflunisal (IDIF), a molecule in the discovery phase; one investigational drug (luteolin); and 3 marketed drugs (sulindac, olsalazine and flufenamic), which could be directly repurposed or repositioned for clinical use. Not all TTR tetramer stabilizers behave as chaperones in vitro. These chemically diverse chaperones will be used for validating TTR as a target in vivo, and to select one repurposed drug as a candidate to enter clinical trials as AD disease-modifying drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Y Cotrina
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), E-08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Santos
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Josep Rivas
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Blasi
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Pedro Leite
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), PT-4050-013, Porto, Portugal
| | - Márcia A Liz
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Antònia Busquets
- Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, University of Barcelona, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Planas
- Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, E-08017, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafel Prohens
- Centres Científics i Tecnologics, Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Gimeno
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, E-48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, E-48160, Derio, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48009, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Luis Gales
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), PT-4050-013, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jordi Llop
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), E-20014, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Jordi Quintana
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, PT-4200-135, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), PT-4050-013, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), E-08034, Barcelona, Spain.
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Chandrashekar P, Desai AK, Trachtenberg BH. Targeted treatments of AL and ATTR amyloidosis. Heart Fail Rev 2021; 27:1587-1603. [PMID: 34783948 DOI: 10.1007/s10741-021-10180-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The therapeutic landscape for cardiac amyloidosis is rapidly evolving. In the last decade, our focus has shifted from dealing with the inevitable complications of continued extracellular infiltration of amyloid fibrils to earlier identification of these patients with prompt initiation of targeted therapy to prevent further deposition. Although much of the focus on novel targeted therapies is within the realm of transthyretin amyloidosis, light chain amyloidosis has benefited due to an overlap particularly in the final common pathway of fibrillogenesis and extraction of amyloid fibrils from the heart. Here, we review the targeted therapeutics for transthyretin and light chain amyloidosis. For transthyretin amyloidosis, the list of current and future therapeutics continues to evolve; and therefore, it is crucial to become familiar with the underlying mechanistic pathways of the disease. Although targeted therapeutic choices in AL amyloidosis are largely driven by the hematology team, the cardiac adverse effect profiles of these therapies, particularly in those with advanced amyloidosis, provide an opportunity for early recognition to prevent decompensation and can help inform recommendations regarding therapy changes when required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Chandrashekar
- Amyloidosis Center, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Anish K Desai
- Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Barry H Trachtenberg
- Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston, TX, USA. .,Cardio-Oncology and Cardiac Amyloidosis Program, Advanced Heart Failure Fellowship Program, Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Centers, J.C. Walter Transplant Center, Houston, USA.
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Rejc L, Gómez-Vallejo V, Rios X, Cossío U, Baz Z, Mujica E, Gião T, Cotrina EY, Jiménez-Barbero J, Quintana J, Arsequell G, Cardoso I, Llop J. Oral Treatment with Iododiflunisal Delays Hippocampal Amyloid-β Formation in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease: A Longitudinal in vivo Molecular Imaging Study1. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 77:99-112. [PMID: 32804152 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transthyretin (TTR) is a tetrameric, amyloid-β (Aβ)-binding protein, which reduces Aβ toxicity. The TTR/Aβ interaction can be enhanced by a series of small molecules that stabilize its tetrameric form. Hence, TTR stabilizers might act as disease-modifying drugs in Alzheimer's disease. OBJECTIVE We monitored the therapeutic efficacy of two TTR stabilizers, iododiflunisal (IDIF), which acts as small-molecule chaperone of the TTR/Aβ interaction, and tolcapone, which does not behave as a small-molecule chaperone, in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease using positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS Female mice (AβPPswe/PS1A246E/TTR+/-) were divided into 3 groups (n = 7 per group): IDIF-treated, tolcapone-treated, and non-treated. The oral treatment (100 mg/Kg/day) was started at 5 months of age. Treatment efficacy assessment was based on changes in longitudinal deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus (HIP) and the cortex (CTX) and determined using PET-[18F]florbetaben. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed at age = 14 months. RESULTS Standard uptake values relative to the cerebellum (SUVr) of [18F]florbetaben in CTX and HIP of non-treated animals progressively increased from age = 5 to 11 months and stabilized afterwards. In contrast, [18F]florbetaben uptake in HIP of IDIF-treated animals remained constant between ages = 5 and 11 months and significantly increased at 14 months. In the tolcapone-treated group, SUVr progressively increased with time, but at lower rate than in the non-treated group. No significant treatment effect was observed in CTX. Results from immunohistochemistry matched the in vivo data at age = 14 months. CONCLUSION Our work provides encouraging preliminary results on the ability of small-molecule chaperones to ameliorate Aβ deposition in certain brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luka Rejc
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vanessa Gómez-Vallejo
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Xabier Rios
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Unai Cossío
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Zuriñe Baz
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Edurne Mujica
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, EHU-UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Tiago Gião
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ellen Y Cotrina
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.,Department Organic Chemistry II, Faculty Science & Technology, EHU-UPV, Leioa, Spain
| | - Jordi Quintana
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Porto, Portugal.,i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jordi Llop
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red - Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES)
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8
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Gião T, Saavedra J, Vieira JR, Pinto MT, Arsequell G, Cardoso I. Neuroprotection in early stages of Alzheimer's disease is promoted by transthyretin angiogenic properties. ALZHEIMERS RESEARCH & THERAPY 2021; 13:143. [PMID: 34429155 PMCID: PMC8385857 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00883-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background While still controversial, it has been demonstrated that vascular defects can precede the onset of other AD hallmarks features, making it an important therapeutic target. Given that the protein transthyretin (TTR) has been established as neuroprotective in AD, here we investigated the influence of TTR in the vasculature. Methods We evaluated the thickness of the basement membrane and the length of brain microvessels, by immunohistochemistry, in AβPPswe/PS1A246E (AD) transgenic mice and non-transgenic mice (NT) bearing one (TTR+/−) or two (TTR+/+) copies of the TTR gene. The angiogenic potential of TTR was evaluated in vitro using the tube formation assay, and in vivo using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Results AD transgenic mice with TTR genetic reduction, AD/TTR+/−, exhibited a thicker BM in brain microvessels and decreased vessel length than animals with normal TTR levels, AD/TTR+/+. Further in vivo investigation, using the CAM assay, revealed that TTR is a pro-angiogenic molecule, and the neovessels formed are functional. Also, TTR increased the expression of key angiogenic molecules such as proteins interleukins 6 and 8, angiopoietin 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor, by endothelial cells, in vitro, under tube formation conditions. We showed that while TTR reduction also leads to a thicker BM in NT mice, this effect is more pronounced in AD mice than in NT animals, strengthening the idea that TTR is a neuroprotective protein. We also studied the effect of TTR tetrameric stabilization on BM thickness, showing that AD mice treated with the TTR tetrameric stabilizer iododiflunisal (IDIF) displayed a significant reduction of BM thickness and increased vessel length, when compared to non-treated littermates. Conclusion Our in vivo results demonstrate the involvement of TTR in angiogenesis, particularly as a modulator of vascular alterations occurring in AD. Since TTR is decreased early in AD, its tetrameric stabilization can represent a therapeutic avenue for the early treatment of AD through the maintenance of the vascular structure. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-021-00883-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Gião
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), 4050-013, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Saavedra
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - José Ricardo Vieira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Teixeira Pinto
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,IPATIMUP - Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho,45-, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), 4050-013, Porto, Portugal.
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Cotrina EY, Vilà M, Nieto J, Arsequell G, Planas A. Preparative Scale Production of Recombinant Human Transthyretin for Biophysical Studies of Protein-Ligand and Protein-Protein Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249640. [PMID: 33348885 PMCID: PMC7766448 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human transthyretin (hTTR), a serum protein with a main role in transporting thyroid hormones and retinol through binding to the retinol-binding protein, is an amyloidogenic protein involved in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), familial amyloidotic cardiomyopathy, and central nervous system selective amyloidosis. hTTR also has a neuroprotective role in Alzheimer disease, being the major Aβ binding protein in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that prevents amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation with consequent abrogation of toxicity. Here we report an optimized preparative expression and purification protocol of hTTR (wt and amyloidogenic mutants) for in vitro screening assays of TTR ligands acting as amyloidogenesis inhibitors or acting as molecular chaperones to enhance the TTR:Aβ interaction. Preparative yields were up to 660 mg of homogenous protein per L of culture in fed-batch bioreactor. The recombinant wt protein is mainly unmodified at Cys10, the single cysteine in the protein sequence, whereas the highly amyloidogenic Y78F variant renders mainly the S-glutathionated form, which has essentially the same amyloidogenic behavior than the reduced protein with free Cys10. The TTR production protocol has shown inter-batch reproducibility of expression and protein quality for in vitro screening assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Y. Cotrina
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (E.Y.C.); (M.V.); (J.N.)
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Marta Vilà
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (E.Y.C.); (M.V.); (J.N.)
| | - Joan Nieto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (E.Y.C.); (M.V.); (J.N.)
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Antoni Planas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (E.Y.C.); (M.V.); (J.N.)
- Correspondence:
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10
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Dohrn MF, Ihne S, Hegenbart U, Medina J, Züchner SL, Coelho T, Hahn K. Targeting transthyretin - Mechanism-based treatment approaches and future perspectives in hereditary amyloidosis. J Neurochem 2020; 156:802-818. [PMID: 33155274 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The liver-derived, circulating transport protein transthyretin (TTR) is the cause of systemic hereditary (ATTRv) and wild-type (ATTRwt) amyloidosis. TTR stabilization and knockdown are approved therapies to mitigate the otherwise lethal disease course. To date, the variety in phenotypic penetrance is not fully understood. This systematic review summarizes the current literature on TTR pathophysiology with its therapeutic implications. Tetramer dissociation is the rate-limiting step of amyloidogenesis. Besides destabilizing TTR mutations, other genetic (RBP4, APCS, AR, ATX2, C1q, C3) and external (extracellular matrix, Schwann cell interaction) factors influence the type of onset and organ tropism. The approved small molecule tafamidis stabilizes the tetramer and significantly decelerates the clinical course. By sequence-specific mRNA knockdown, the approved small interfering RNA (siRNA) patisiran and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) inotersen both significantly reduce plasma TTR levels and improve neuropathy and quality of life compared to placebo. With enhanced hepatic targeting capabilities, GalNac-conjugated siRNA and ASOs have recently entered phase III clinical trials. Bivalent TTR stabilizers occupy both binding groves in vitro, but have not been tested in trials so far. Tolcapone is another stabilizer with the potential to cross the blood-brain barrier, but its half-life is short and liver failure a potential side effect. Amyloid-directed antibodies and substances like doxycycline aim at reducing the amyloid load, however, none of the yet developed antibodies has successfully passed clinical trials. ATTR-amyloidosis has become a model disease for pathophysiology-based treatment. Further understanding of disease mechanisms will help to overcome the remaining limitations, including application burden, side effects, and blood-brain barrier permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike F Dohrn
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, Department of Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sandra Ihne
- Interdisciplinary Amyloidosis Center of Northern Bavaria, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine II, Hematology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Comprehensive Heart Failure Center (CHFC), University and University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ute Hegenbart
- Amyloidosis Center Heidelberg, Department of Internal Medicine V, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jessica Medina
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, Department of Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Stephan L Züchner
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation, Department of Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Teresa Coelho
- Andrade's Center for Familial Amyloidosis, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Neurosciences, Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar Do Porto, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Katrin Hahn
- Department of Neurology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Amyloidosis Center Charité Berlin (ACCB), Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
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11
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Cotrina EY, Blasi D, Vilà M, Planas A, Abad-Zapatero C, Centeno NB, Quintana J, Arsequell G. Optimization of kinetic stabilizers of tetrameric transthyretin: A prospective ligand efficiency-guided approach. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115794. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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12
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Cioffi CL, Muthuraman P, Raja A, Varadi A, Racz B, Petrukhin K. Discovery of Bispecific Antagonists of Retinol Binding Protein 4 That Stabilize Transthyretin Tetramers: Scaffolding Hopping, Optimization, and Preclinical Pharmacological Evaluation as a Potential Therapy for Two Common Age-Related Comorbidities. J Med Chem 2020; 63:11054-11084. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Cioffi
- Departments of Basic and Clinical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 106 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208, United States
| | - Parthasarathy Muthuraman
- Departments of Basic and Clinical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 106 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208, United States
| | - Arun Raja
- Departments of Basic and Clinical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 106 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208, United States
| | - Andras Varadi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Boglarka Racz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Konstantin Petrukhin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York 10032, United States
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13
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Cotrina EY, Gimeno A, Llop J, Jiménez-Barbero J, Quintana J, Valencia G, Cardoso I, Prohens R, Arsequell G. Calorimetric Studies of Binary and Ternary Molecular Interactions between Transthyretin, Aβ Peptides, and Small-Molecule Chaperones toward an Alternative Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery. J Med Chem 2020; 63:3205-3214. [PMID: 32124607 PMCID: PMC7115756 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Transthyretin
(TTR) modulates the deposition, processing, and toxicity
of Abeta (Aβ) peptides. We have shown that this effect is enhanced
in mice by treatment with small molecules such as iododiflunisal (IDIF, 4), a good TTR stabilizer. Here, we describe the thermodynamics
of the formation of binary and ternary complexes among TTR, Aβ(1–42)
peptide, and TTR stabilizers using isothermal titration calorimetry
(ITC). A TTR/Aβ(1–42) (1:1)
complex with a dissociation constant of Kd = 0.94 μM is formed; with IDIF
(4), this constant improves up to Kd = 0.32 μM, indicating
the presence of a ternary complex TTR/IDIF/Aβ(1–42).
However, with the drugs diflunisal (1) or Tafamidis (2), an analogous chaperoning effect could not be observed.
Similar phenomena could be recorded with the shorter peptide Aβ(12–28)
(7). We propose the design of a simple assay system for
the search of other chaperones that behave like IDIF and may become
potential candidate drugs for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Y Cotrina
- Institut de Quı́mica Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Gimeno
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - Jordi Llop
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Diaz de Haro 13, 48009 Bilbao, Spain.,Department of Organic Chemistry II, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Jordi Quintana
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF-IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gregorio Valencia
- Institut de Quı́mica Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rafel Prohens
- Unitat de Polimorfisme i Calorimetria, Centres Cientı́fics i Tecnològics, Universitat de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Quı́mica Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Metkar SK, Ghosh S, Girigoswami A, Girigoswami K. The Potential of Serratiopetidase and Lumbrokinase for the Degradation of Prion Peptide 106-126 - an In Vitro and In Silico Perspective. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2019; 18:723-731. [PMID: 31642793 DOI: 10.2174/1871527318666191021150002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND PrPC is a host-encoded prion protein, which gets post translationally modified into a transmissible, β-sheet rich disease associated protein called PrPSc, responsible for the Prion disease including mad cow disease in cattle and CJD in humans. The PrP 106-126 region in PrPSc peptide initiates the conformational change in that protein leading to fibrillation. Any agent that can destabilize or disintegrate such proteins can be served as a potential drug candidate for Prion diseases. METHODS In the present study, an enzyme Lumbrokinase (LK) was isolated from earthworm and its activity was exploited towards PrP 106-126 amyloids in vitro along with another enzyme Serratiopeptidase (SP) taking Nattokinase (NK) as a standard. RESULTS The results showed that PrP 106-126 amyloid formation was inhibited by both LK and SP, as evidenced from Thioflavin T fluorescence assay. Further, the size of fibrils as estimated by dynamic light scattering, was also found to be lower at different time intervals after incubation of the prion amyloids with LK and SP. Additionally, the molecular dynamics simulation revealed the thermodynamically favorable interaction of PrP 106-126 with LK as well as with SP with high affinity. CONCLUSION Finally, the toxicity of the disintegrated amyloids was assessed using PC12 cell lines which showed higher cell viability in case of LK and SP treated amyloids compared to only PrP 106- 126 amyloid treatment. Altogether, the study concluded that the serine proteases like LK and SP have the potential to disintegrate PrP 106-126 amyloids with improved cell viability. The in vivo studies are needed to be executed in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kisan Metkar
- Medical Bionanotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, Chennai-603103, India
| | - Suparna Ghosh
- Medical Bionanotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, Chennai-603103, India
| | - Agnishwar Girigoswami
- Medical Bionanotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, Chennai-603103, India
| | - Koyeli Girigoswami
- Medical Bionanotechnology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute (CHRI), Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, Chennai-603103, India
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15
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Rios X, Gómez-Vallejo V, Martín A, Cossío U, Morcillo MÁ, Alemi M, Cardoso I, Quintana J, Jiménez-Barbero J, Cotrina EY, Valencia G, Arsequell G, Llop J. Radiochemical examination of transthyretin (TTR) brain penetration assisted by iododiflunisal, a TTR tetramer stabilizer and a new candidate drug for AD. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13672. [PMID: 31541162 PMCID: PMC6754432 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50071-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well settled that the amyloidogenic properties of the plasma protein transporter transthyretin (TTR) can be modulated by compounds that stabilize its native tetrameric conformation. TTR is also present in cerebrospinal fluid where it can bind to Aβ-peptides and prevent Aβ aggregation. We have previously shown that treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) model mice with iododiflunisal (IDIF), a TTR tetramer stabilizing compound, prevents AD pathologies. This evidence positioned IDIF as a new lead drug for AD. In dissecting the mechanism of action of IDIF, we disclose here different labeling strategies for the preparation of 131I-labeled IDIF and 131I- and 124I-labeled TTR, which have been further used for the preparation of IDIF-TTR complexes labeled either on the compound or the protein. The biodistribution of all labeled species after intravenous administration has been investigated in mice using ex vivo and in vivo techniques. Our results confirm the capacity of TTR to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and suggest that the formation of TTR-IDIF complexes enhances BBB permeability of both IDIF and TTR. The increased TTR and IDIF brain concentrations may result in higher Aβ-peptide sequestration capacity with the subsequent inhibition of AD symptoms as we have previously observed in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Rios
- Radiochemistry and Nuclear Imaging Group, CIC biomaGUNE, 20014, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Vanessa Gómez-Vallejo
- Radiochemistry and Nuclear Imaging Group, CIC biomaGUNE, 20014, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Abraham Martín
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, 48940, Leioa, Spain.,Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Díaz de Haro 3, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Unai Cossío
- Radiochemistry and Nuclear Imaging Group, CIC biomaGUNE, 20014, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Morcillo
- Biomedical Applications of Radioisotopes and Pharmacokinetics Unit, CIEMAT, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mobina Alemi
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Cardoso
- IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Celular e Molecular, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jordi Quintana
- Plataforma Drug Discovery, Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Díaz de Haro 3, 48013, Bilbao, Spain.,CIC bioGUNE, Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Ellen Y Cotrina
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gregorio Valencia
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Arsequell
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (I.Q.A.C.-C.S.I.C.), 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jordi Llop
- Radiochemistry and Nuclear Imaging Group, CIC biomaGUNE, 20014, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain.
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16
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Rosenblum H, Castano A, Alvarez J, Goldsmith J, Helmke S, Maurer MS. TTR (Transthyretin) Stabilizers Are Associated With Improved Survival in Patients With TTR Cardiac Amyloidosis. Circ Heart Fail 2019; 11:e004769. [PMID: 29615436 DOI: 10.1161/circheartfailure.117.004769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND TTR (transthyretin) cardiac amyloidosis is caused by dissociation of TTR into monomers, which misassemble into amyloid fibrils. TTR stabilizers act at the dimer-dimer interface to prevent dissociation. We investigated differences in survival among patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis on stabilizer medications compared with those not on stabilizers. METHODS AND RESULTS A retrospective study of patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis presenting to a single center was conducted. Baseline characteristics were compared between those treated with stabilizers and those not treated with stabilizers. Cox proportional hazards modeling assessed for univariate predictors of the composite outcome of death or orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards assessed whether stabilizer treatment was independently associated with improved death or OHT after controlling for significant univariate predictors. One hundred twenty patients (mean age, 75±8, 88% male) were included: 29 patients who received stabilizers and 91 patients who did not. Stabilizer use was associated with a lower risk of the combined end point of death or OHT (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.58; P<0.0001). Subjects treated with stabilizers were more likely to be of White race (93% versus 55%; P<0.001), classified as New York Heart Association classes I and II (79% versus 38%; P=0.002), less likely to have a mutation (10% versus 36%; P=0.010), have lower troponin I (median 0.06 versus 0.12 ng/mL; P=0.002), and higher left ventricular ejection fraction (49% versus 40%; P=0.011), suggesting earlier stage of disease. In multivariable Cox analysis, the association between stabilizer and death or OHT persisted when adjusted for all noncollinear univariate predictors with P<0.05 (hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.75; P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS TTR stabilizers are associated with decreased death and OHT in TTR cardiac amyloidosis. These results need to be confirmed by ongoing randomized clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Rosenblum
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Adam Castano
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Julissa Alvarez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Jeff Goldsmith
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Stephen Helmke
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital
| | - Mathew S Maurer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
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17
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Tegsedi (Inotersen): An Antisense Oligonucleotide Approved for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12020078. [PMID: 31117178 PMCID: PMC6631675 DOI: 10.3390/ph12020078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tegsedi (Inotersen) is a chemically modified antisense oligonucleotide that inhibits the hepatic production of transthyretin (TTR). Several single-point mutations in TTR destabilize its structure, leading to the aggregation and accumulation of amyloid deposits in the nervous system, heart, kidneys and eyes. In July 2018, Tegsedi was approved by the European Commission for use in adults with stage one and two polyneuropathies. Later on, in October 2018, the FDA and Health Canada also approved its use for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR) in adults in the U.S. and Canada. Tegsedi was developed by Ionis Pharmaceuticals, the company that holds the global marketing license, together with its subsidiary Akcea Therapeutics.
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18
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Uncovering the Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Curcumin on Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061287. [PMID: 30875761 PMCID: PMC6471102 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidoses (ATTR amyloidosis) are diseases associated with transthyretin (TTR) misfolding, aggregation and extracellular deposition in tissues as amyloid. Clinical manifestations of the disease are variable and include mainly polyneuropathy and/or cardiomyopathy. The reasons why TTR forms aggregates and amyloid are related with amino acid substitutions in the protein due to mutations, or with environmental alterations associated with aging, that make the protein more unstable and prone to aggregation. According to this model, several therapeutic approaches have been proposed for the diseases that range from stabilization of TTR, using chemical chaperones, to clearance of the aggregated protein deposited in tissues in the form of oligomers or small aggregates, by the action of disruptors or by activation of the immune system. Interestingly, different studies revealed that curcumin presents anti-amyloid properties, targeting multiple steps in the ATTR amyloidogenic cascade. The effects of curcumin on ATTR amyloidosis will be reviewed and discussed in the current work in order to contribute to knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in TTR amyloidosis and propose more efficient drugs for therapy.
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19
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Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Steered Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Glabridin Bound to Wild Type and V30A Mutant Transthyretin: Ligand-linked Perturbation of Tertiary Conformation. Chem Res Chin Univ 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40242-018-8085-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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20
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Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Transthyretin Association from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:7480749. [PMID: 29967786 PMCID: PMC6008865 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7480749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations are used in this work to probe the structural stability and the dynamics of engineered mutants of transthyretin (TTR), i.e., the double mutant F87M/L110M (MT-TTR) and the triple mutant F87M/L110M/S117E (3M-TTR), in relation to wild-type. Free energy analysis from end-point simulations and statistical effective energy functions are used to analyze trajectories, revealing that mutations do not have major impact on protein structure but rather on protein association, shifting the equilibria towards dissociated species. The result is confirmed by the analysis of 3M-TTR which shows dissociation within the first 10 ns of the simulation, indicating that contacts are lost at the dimer-dimer interface, whereas dimers (formed by monomers which pair to form two extended β-sheets) appear fairly stable. Overall the simulations provide a detailed view of the dynamics and thermodynamics of wild-type and mutant transthyretins and a rationale of the observed effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Jono
- Department of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yukio Ando
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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22
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Iakovleva I, Begum A, Brännström K, Wijsekera A, Nilsson L, Zhang J, Andersson PL, Sauer-Eriksson AE, Olofsson A. Tetrabromobisphenol A Is an Efficient Stabilizer of the Transthyretin Tetramer. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153529. [PMID: 27093678 PMCID: PMC4836675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid formation of the human plasma protein transthyretin (TTR) is associated with several human disorders, including familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) and senile systemic amyloidosis. Dissociation of TTR's native tetrameric assembly is the rate-limiting step in the conversion into amyloid, and this feature presents an avenue for intervention because binding of an appropriate ligand to the thyroxin hormone binding sites of TTR stabilizes the native tetrameric assembly and impairs conversion into amyloid. The desired features for an effective TTR stabilizer include high affinity for TTR, high selectivity in the presence of other proteins, no adverse side effects at the effective concentrations, and a long half-life in the body. In this study we show that the commonly used flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) efficiently stabilizes the tetrameric structure of TTR. The X-ray crystal structure shows TBBPA binding in the thyroxine binding pocket with bromines occupying two of the three halogen binding sites. Interestingly, TBBPA binds TTR with an extremely high selectivity in human plasma, and the effect is equal to the recently approved drug tafamidis and better than diflunisal, both of which have shown therapeutic effects against FAP. TBBPA consequently present an interesting scaffold for drug design. Its absorption, metabolism, and potential side-effects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Iakovleva
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Afshan Begum
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Alexandra Wijsekera
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lina Nilsson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | | | - Anders Olofsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Ciccone L, Nencetti S, Rossello A, Tepshi L, Stura EA, Orlandini E. X-ray crystal structure and activity of fluorenyl-based compounds as transthyretin fibrillogenesis inhibitors. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2015; 31:824-33. [PMID: 26235916 DOI: 10.3109/14756366.2015.1070265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is a 54 kDa homotetrameric protein that transports thyroxine (T4) and retinol (vitamin A), through its association with retinol binding protein (RBP). Under unknown conditions, it aggregates to form fibrils associated with TTR amyloidosis. Ligands able to inhibit fibril formation have been studied by X-ray crystallography. The use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) instead of ammonium sulphate or citrate has been evaluated as an alternative to obtain new TTR complexes with (R)-3-(9-fluoren-9-ylideneaminooxy)-2-methyl-N-(methylsulfonyl) propionamide (48R(1)) and 2-(9H-fluoren-9-ylideneaminooxy) acetic acid (ES8(2)). The previously described fluorenyl based inhibitors (S)-3-((9H-fluoren-9-ylideneamino)oxy)-2-methylpropanoic acid (6BD) and 3-((9H-fluoren-9-ylideneamino)oxy)propanoic acid (7BD) have been re-evaluated with the changed crystallization method. The new TTR complexes with compounds of the same family show that the 9-fluorenyl motif can occupy alternative hydrophobic binding sites. This augments the potential use of this scaffold to yield a large variety of differently substituted mono-aryl compounds able to inhibit TTR fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Ciccone
- a CEA, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO) , Gif-sur-Yvette , France and.,b Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | | | | | - Livia Tepshi
- a CEA, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO) , Gif-sur-Yvette , France and.,b Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | - Enrico A Stura
- a CEA, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO) , Gif-sur-Yvette , France and
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Landreh M, Ostberg LJ, Pettersson TM, Jörnvall H. Transthyretin microheterogeneity and molecular interactions: implications for amyloid formation. Biomol Concepts 2014; 5:257-64. [PMID: 25372757 DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2014-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of transthyretin (TTR), a plasma-binding protein for thyroxine and retinol-binding protein, is the cause of several amyloid diseases. Disease-associated mutations are well known, but wild-type TTR is, to a lesser extent, also amyloidogenic. Monomerization, not oligomer formation as in several other depository diseases, is the rate-limiting step in TTR aggregation, and stabilization of the natively tetrameric form can inhibit amyloid formation. Modifications on Cys10, as well as interactions with native ligands in plasma, were early found to influence the equilibrium between tetrameric and monomeric TTR by dissociating or stabilizing the tetramer. Following these discoveries, synthetic ligands for pharmacological prevention of TTR aggregation could be developed. In this article, we outline how the different types of TTR interactions and its microheterogeneity in plasma are related to its propensity to form amyloid fibrils. We conclude that plasma constituents and dietary components may act as natural TTR stabilizers whose mechanisms of action provide cues for the amelioration of TTR amyloid disease.
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Obici L, Merlini G. An overview of drugs currently under investigation for the treatment of transthyretin-related hereditary amyloidosis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2014; 23:1239-51. [PMID: 25003808 DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2014.922541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Transthyretin (TTR)-related hereditary amyloidosis is an adult-onset, dominantly inherited, systemic neurodegenerative disease endemic in some populations. Stabilization of the native structure of TTR by small-molecule ligands has recently proved effective in slowing neurological progression. Two drugs, tafamidis and diflunisal, are now available for most patients, particularly in the early stage of the disease. However, this disorder remains life threatening with several unmet needs. There are great expectations for a number of novel agents undergoing investigation. AREAS COVERED The authors review the current investigational drugs for the treatment of TTR amyloidosis according to the different steps of the fibrillogenesis process they target. Innovative approaches include suppression of TTR secretion, prevention of TTR misfolding by stronger stabilizers identified through structure-based design and high-throughput screening methodologies as well as the redirection of pathogenic aggregates toward nontoxic species and reabsorption of deposits through amyloid disrupters and immunotherapy. EXPERT OPINION Suppression of TTR synthesis by antisense oligonucleotides and small-interfering RNA is presently one of the most promising therapeutic approaches. However, well-designed clinical trials are required to establish their safety and efficacy compared with liver transplantation, tafamidis and diflunisal. With a longer time frame, it may be possible to develop combination therapies that target multiple steps of the aggregation process that could provide the best long-life effective treatments for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Obici
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo , Viale Golgi, 19, 27100 Pavia , Italy
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Johnson SM, Connelly S, Fearns C, Powers ET, Kelly JW. The transthyretin amyloidoses: from delineating the molecular mechanism of aggregation linked to pathology to a regulatory-agency-approved drug. J Mol Biol 2012; 421:185-203. [PMID: 22244854 PMCID: PMC3350832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.12.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2011] [Revised: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 12/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is one of the many proteins that are known to misfold and aggregate (i.e., undergo amyloidogenesis) in vivo. The process of TTR amyloidogenesis causes nervous system and/or heart pathology. While several of these maladies are associated with mutations that destabilize the native TTR quaternary and/or tertiary structure, wild-type TTR amyloidogenesis also leads to the degeneration of postmitotic tissue. Over the past 20 years, much has been learned about the factors that influence the propensity of TTR to aggregate. This biophysical information led to the development of a therapeutic strategy, termed "kinetic stabilization," to prevent TTR amyloidogenesis. This strategy afforded the drug tafamidis which was recently approved by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of TTR familial amyloid polyneuropathy, the most common familial TTR amyloid disease. Tafamidis is the first and currently the only medication approved to treat TTR familial amyloid polyneuropathy. Here we review the biophysical basis for the kinetic stabilization strategy and the structure-based drug design effort that led to this first-in-class pharmacologic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Stephen Connelly
- Department of Molecular Biology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Colleen Fearns
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Evan T. Powers
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Jeffery W. Kelly
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
- Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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Almeida MR, Saraiva MJ. Clearance of extracellular misfolded proteins in systemic amyloidosis: Experience with transthyretin. FEBS Lett 2012; 586:2891-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Revised: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Ahmed MS, Jadhav AB, Hassan A, Meng QH. Acute phase reactants as novel predictors of cardiovascular disease. ISRN INFLAMMATION 2012; 2012:953461. [PMID: 24049653 PMCID: PMC3767354 DOI: 10.5402/2012/953461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2012] [Accepted: 04/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Acute phase reaction is a systemic response which usually follows a physiological condition that takes place in the beginning of an inflammatory process. This physiological change usually lasts 1-2 days. However, the systemic acute phase response usually lasts longer. The aim of this systemic response is to restore homeostasis. These events are accompanied by upregulation of some proteins (positive acute phase reactants) and downregulation of others (negative acute phase reactants) during inflammatory reactions. Cardiovascular diseases are accompanied by the elevation of several positive acute phase reactants such as C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), fibrinogen, white blood cell count, secretory nonpancreatic phospholipase 2-II (sPLA2-II), ferritin, and ceruloplasmin. Cardiovascular disease is also accompanied by the reduction of negative acute phase reactants such as albumin, transferrin, transthyretin, retinol-binding protein, antithrombin, and transcortin. In this paper, we will be discussing the biological activity and diagnostic and prognostic values of acute phase reactants with cardiovascular importance. The potential therapeutic targets of these reactants will be also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Royal University Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E5 ; Department of Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E5
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Alhamadsheh MM, Connelly S, Cho A, Reixach N, Powers ET, Pan DW, Wilson IA, Kelly JW, Graef IA. Potent kinetic stabilizers that prevent transthyretin-mediated cardiomyocyte proteotoxicity. Sci Transl Med 2012; 3:97ra81. [PMID: 21865539 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A valine-to-isoleucine mutation at position 122 of the serum protein transthyretin (TTR), found in 3 to 4% of African Americans, alters its stability, leading to amyloidogenesis and cardiomyopathy. In addition, 10 to 15% of individuals older than 65 years develop senile systemic amyloidosis and cardiac TTR deposits because of wild-type TTR amyloidogenesis. Although several drugs are in development, no approved therapies for TTR amyloid cardiomyopathy are yet available, so the identification of additional compounds that prevent amyloid-mediated cardiotoxicity is needed. To this aim, we developed a fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput screen and used it to identify several new chemical scaffolds that target TTR. These compounds were potent kinetic stabilizers of TTR and prevented TTR tetramer dissociation, partial unfolding, and aggregation of both wild type and the most common cardiomyopathy-associated TTR mutant, V122I-TTR. High-resolution co-crystal structures and characterization of the binding energetics revealed how these diverse structures bound to tetrameric TTR. These compounds effectively inhibited the proteotoxicity of V122I-TTR toward human cardiomyocytes. Several of these ligands stabilized TTR in human serum more effectively than diflunisal, which is a well-studied inhibitor of TTR aggregation, and may be promising leads for the treatment or prevention of TTR-mediated cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoun M Alhamadsheh
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Ferreira N, Saraiva MJ, Almeida MR. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate as a potential therapeutic drug for TTR-related amyloidosis: "in vivo" evidence from FAP mice models. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29933. [PMID: 22253829 PMCID: PMC3254632 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 12/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the extracellular deposition of mutant transthyretin (TTR), with special involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Currently, hepatic transplantation is considered the most efficient therapy to halt the progression of clinical symptoms in FAP since more than 95% of TTR is produced by the liver. However, less invasive and more reliable therapeutic approaches have been proposed for FAP therapy, namely based on drugs acting as inhibitors of amyloid formation or as amyloid disruptors. We have recently reported that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin in green tea, is able to inhibit TTR aggregation and fibril formation, "in vitro" and in a cellular system, and is also able to disrupt pre-formed amyloid fibrils "in vitro". METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In the present study, we assessed the effect of EGCG subchronic administration on TTR amyloidogenesis "in vivo", using well characterized animal models for FAP. Semiquantitative immunohistochemistry (SQ-IHC) and Western blot analysis of mice tissues after treatment demonstrated that EGCG inhibits TTR toxic aggregates deposition in about 50% along the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Moreover EGCG treatment considerably lowered levels of several biomarkers associated with non-fibrillar TTR deposition, namely endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress, protein oxidation and apoptosis markers. Treatment of old FAP mice with EGCG resulted not only in the decrease of non-fibrillar TTR deposition but also in disaggregation of amyloid deposits. Consistently, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and serum amyloid P component (SAP), both markers of amyloid deposition, were also found reduced in treated old FAP mice. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE The dual effect of EGCG both as TTR aggregation inhibitor and amyloid fibril disruptor together with the high tolerability and low toxicity of EGCG in humans, point towards the potential use of this compound, or optimized derivatives, in the treatment of TTR-related amyloidoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Ferreira
- Grupo de Neurobiologia Molecular, IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Saraiva
- Grupo de Neurobiologia Molecular, IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Rosário Almeida
- Grupo de Neurobiologia Molecular, IBMC – Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia Molecular, ICBAS – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Härd T, Lendel C. Inhibition of amyloid formation. J Mol Biol 2012; 421:441-65. [PMID: 22244855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.12.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2011] [Revised: 12/28/2011] [Accepted: 12/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid is aggregated protein in the form of insoluble fibrils. Amyloid deposition in human tissue-amyloidosis-is associated with a number of diseases including all common dementias and type II diabetes. Considerable progress has been made to understand the mechanisms leading to amyloid formation. It is, however, not yet clear by which mechanisms amyloid and protein aggregates formed on the path to amyloid are cytotoxic. Strategies to prevent protein aggregation and amyloid formation are nevertheless, in many cases, promising and even successful. This review covers research on intervention of amyloidosis and highlights several examples of how inhibition of protein aggregation and amyloid formation has been achieved in practice. For instance, rational design can provide drugs that stabilize a native folded state of a protein, protein engineering can provide new binding proteins that sequester monomeric peptides from aggregation, small molecules and peptides can be designed to block aggregation or direct it into non-cytotoxic paths, and monoclonal antibodies have been developed for therapies towards neurodegenerative diseases based on inhibition of amyloid formation and clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torleif Härd
- Department of Molecular Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Binding of epigallocatechin-3-gallate to transthyretin modulates its amyloidogenicity. FEBS Lett 2009; 583:3569-76. [PMID: 19861125 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.10.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2009] [Revised: 10/13/2009] [Accepted: 10/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
More than 100 transthyretin (TTR) variants are associated with hereditary amyloidosis. Approaches for TTR amyloidosis that interfere with any step of the cascade of events leading to fibril formation have therapeutic potential. In this study we tested (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin of green tea, as an inhibitor of TTR amyloid formation. We demonstrate that EGCG binds to TTR "in vitro" and "ex vivo" and that EGCG inhibits TTR aggregation "in vitro" and in a cell culture system. These findings together with the low toxicity of the compound raise the possibility of using EGCG in a therapeutic approach for familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy, the most frequent form of hereditary TTR amyloidosis.
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Palaninathan SK, Mohamedmohaideen NN, Orlandini E, Ortore G, Nencetti S, Lapucci A, Rossello A, Freundlich JS, Sacchettini JC. Novel transthyretin amyloid fibril formation inhibitors: synthesis, biological evaluation, and X-ray structural analysis. PLoS One 2009; 4:e6290. [PMID: 19621084 PMCID: PMC2709434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2009] [Accepted: 05/11/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) is one of thirty non-homologous proteins whose misfolding, dissociation, aggregation, and deposition is linked to human amyloid diseases. Previous studies have identified that TTR amyloidogenesis can be inhibited through stabilization of the native tetramer state by small molecule binding to the thyroid hormone sites of TTR. We have evaluated a new series of β-aminoxypropionic acids (compounds 5–21), with a single aromatic moiety (aryl or fluorenyl) linked through a flexible oxime tether to a carboxylic acid. These compounds are structurally distinct from the native ligand thyroxine and typical halogenated biaryl NSAID-like inhibitors to avoid off-target hormonal or anti-inflammatory activity. Based on an in vitro fibril formation assay, five of these compounds showed significant inhibition of TTR amyloidogenesis, with two fluorenyl compounds displaying inhibitor efficacy comparable to the well-known TTR inhibitor diflunisal. Fluorenyl 15 is the most potent compound in this series and importantly does not show off-target anti-inflammatory activity. Crystal structures of the TTR∶inhibitor complexes, in agreement with molecular docking studies, revealed that the aromatic moiety, linked to the sp2-hybridized oxime carbon, specifically directed the ligand in either a forward or reverse binding mode. Compared to the aryl family members, the bulkier fluorenyl analogs achieved more extensive interactions with the binding pockets of TTR and demonstrated better inhibitory activity in the fibril formation assay. Preliminary optimization efforts are described that focused on replacement of the C-terminal acid in both the aryl and fluorenyl series (compounds 22–32). The compounds presented here constitute a new class of TTR inhibitors that may hold promise in treating amyloid diseases associated with TTR misfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satheesh K. Palaninathan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nilofar N. Mohamedmohaideen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elisabetta Orlandini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- * E-mail: (EO); (JCS)
| | - Gabriella Ortore
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Susanna Nencetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annalina Lapucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Armando Rossello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Joel S. Freundlich
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - James C. Sacchettini
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EO); (JCS)
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Kamata M, Susanto MT, Chen ISY. Enhanced transthyretin tetramer stability following expression of an amyloid disease transsuppressor variant in mammalian cells. J Gene Med 2009; 11:103-11. [PMID: 19065606 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is an incurable fatal inherited disease that is characterized by progressive peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. It is caused by missense amyloidogenic mutations in the TTR gene that destabilize the native tetrameric state and lead to the cytotoxic misfolded monomeric state. One interesting variant (T119M) stabilizes heterotetramers with amyloidogenic TTR and, in the reported heterozygous individuals, protects the carriers from disease. In the present study, we characterize in vitro and in vivo the ectopic expression of the human T119M mutant, termed a transsuppressor for TTR amyloid disease. METHODS Lentiviral vectors encoding wild or mutant forms of human TTR were constructed and transduced to the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2, or mice. Heterooligomerization between T119M TTR and amyloidogenic variants was analysed by immunoprecipitation following western blotting. RESULTS T119M TTR was stably expressed in transduced HepG2 cells and was secreted as an oligomer that can interact with its native partner, retinol-binding protein. Importantly, the T119M TTR formed secreted heterooligomers with amyloidogenic TTR variants, V30M, L55P and V122I, in HepG2 cells that were more stable than the homooligomers of the same amyloidogenic TTR variants. Human T119M TTR also formed heterooligomers with V30M TTR in transduced mice. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained in the present study demonstrate the stabilization of heterotetramers by T119M TTR in human cells and suggest that gene transfer of T119M TTR may have potential as a gene therapy for TTR amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakazu Kamata
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Iodine atoms: a new molecular feature for the design of potent transthyretin fibrillogenesis inhibitors. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4124. [PMID: 19125186 PMCID: PMC2607018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2008] [Accepted: 10/29/2008] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The thyroid hormone and retinol transporter protein known as transthyretin (TTR) is in the origin of one of the 20 or so known amyloid diseases. TTR self assembles as a homotetramer leaving a central hydrophobic channel with two symmetrical binding sites. The aggregation pathway of TTR into amiloid fibrils is not yet well characterized but in vitro binding of thyroid hormones and other small organic molecules to TTR binding channel results in tetramer stabilization which prevents amyloid formation in an extent which is proportional to the binding constant. Up to now, TTR aggregation inhibitors have been designed looking at various structural features of this binding channel others than its ability to host iodine atoms. In the present work, greatly improved inhibitors have been designed and tested by taking into account that thyroid hormones are unique in human biochemistry owing to the presence of multiple iodine atoms in their molecules which are probed to interact with specific halogen binding domains sitting at the TTR binding channel. The new TTR fibrillogenesis inhibitors are based on the diflunisal core structure because diflunisal is a registered salicylate drug with NSAID activity now undergoing clinical trials for TTR amyloid diseases. Biochemical and biophysical evidence confirms that iodine atoms can be an important design feature in the search for candidate drugs for TTR related amyloidosis.
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Rossi M, Caruso F, Opazo C, Salciccioli J. Crystal and molecular structure of piceatannol; scavenging features of resveratrol and piceatannol on hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals and docking with transthyretin. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2008; 56:10557-10566. [PMID: 18959413 DOI: 10.1021/jf801923j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The mechanism by which the naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds resveratrol (RES), C(14)H(12)O(3), and its metabolite piceatannol (PIC), C(14)H(12)O(4), scavenge free radicals is studied using experimental and density functional theory (DFT) methods. PIC's crystal structure shows a strong intermolecular hydrogen bond network, which, through a concerted motion of the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms, can produce a second hydrogen bond chain. This reorganization offers a low-energy pathway for the transfer of hydrogen atoms and is a contributing factor to PIC's biological activity. Additionally, DFT calculations describing the entire reaction mechanism of RES, PIC, and 3,3',4',5,5'-pentahydroxystilbene with hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals agree with experimental results, showing that increased hydroxylation aids in scavenging activity. PIC is more efficient than RES because (i) by sharing its 3'-OH hydrogen atom with its adjacent neighbor, O-4', the abstraction and transfer of the 4'-H atom to the free radical becomes easier and (ii) the resulting PIC semiquinone radical is more stable. As a result of the reaction with OH(*), both RES and PIC form water; with the peroxyl radical, both RES and PIC form hydrogen peroxide. Also, docking of PIC onto the protein transthyretin suggests better performance than RES and confirms its possible application in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Rossi
- Department of Chemistry, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604-0484, USA.
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Richardson SJ. Cell and Molecular Biology of Transthyretin and Thyroid Hormones. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CYTOLOGY 2007; 258:137-93. [PMID: 17338921 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(07)58003-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Advances in four areas of transthyretin (TTR) research result in this being a timely review. Developmental studies have revealed that TTR is synthesized in all classes of vertebrates during development. This leads to a new hypothesis on selection pressure for hepatic TTR synthesis during development only, changing the previous hypotheses from "onset" of hepatic TTR synthesis in adulthood to "maintaining" hepatic TTR synthesis into adulthood. Evolutionary studies have revealed the existence of TTR-like proteins (TLPs) in nonvertebrate species and elucidated some of their functions. Consequently, TTR is an excellent model for the study of the evolution of protein structure, function, and localization. Studies of human diseases have demonstrated that TTR in the cerebrospinal fluid can form amyloid, but more recently there has been recognition of the roles of TTR in depression and Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, amyloid mutations in human TTR that are the normal residues in other species result in cardiac deposition of TTR amyloid in humans. Finally, a revised model for TTR-thyroxine entry into the cerebrospinal fluid via the choroid plexus, based on data from studies in TTR null mice, is presented. This review concentrates on TTR and its thyroid hormone binding, in development and during evolution, and summarizes what is currently known about TLPs and the role of TTR in diseases affecting the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Richardson
- UMR CNRS 5166, Evolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75231 Paris, France
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Obici L, Franceschini G, Calabresi L, Giorgetti S, Stoppini M, Merlini G, Bellotti V. Structure, function and amyloidogenic propensity of apolipoprotein A-I. Amyloid 2006; 13:191-205. [PMID: 17107880 DOI: 10.1080/13506120600960288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein A-I, the major structural apolipoprotein of high-density lipoproteins, efficiently protects humans from cholesterol accumulation in tissues; however, it can cause systemic amyloidosis in the presence of peculiar amino acid replacements. The wild-type molecule also has an intrinsic tendency to generate amyloid fibrils that localise within the atherosclerotic plaques. The structure, folding and metabolism of normal apolipoprotein A-I are extremely complex and as yet not completely clarified, but their understanding appears essential for the elucidation of the amyloid transition. We reviewed present knowledge on the structure, function and amyloidogenic propensity of apolipoprotein A-I with the aim of highlighting the possible molecular mechanisms that might contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. Important clues on apolipoprotein A-I amyloidogenesis may be obtained from classical comparative studies of the properties of the wild-type versus the amyloidogenic counterpart. Additionally, in the case of apoA-I, further insights on the molecular mechanisms underlying its amyloidogenic propensity may derive from comparative studies between amyloidogenic variants and other mutations associated with hypoalphalipoproteinemia without amyloidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Obici
- Centro per lo Studio e la Cura delle Amiloidosi Sistemiche, Laboratorio di Biotecnologie, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
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Goodman AB. Retinoid receptors, transporters, and metabolizers as therapeutic targets in late onset Alzheimer disease. J Cell Physiol 2006; 209:598-603. [PMID: 17001693 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.20784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Vitamin A (retinoid) is required in the adult brain to enable cognition, learning, and memory. While brain levels of retinoid diminish over the course of normal ageing, retinoid deficit is greater in late onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) brains than in normal-aged controls. This paper reviews recent evidence supporting these statements and further suggests that genes necessary for the synthesis, transport and function of retinoid to and within the ageing brain are appropriate targets for treatment of LOAD. These genes tend to be clustered with genes that have been proposed as candidates in LOAD, are found at chromosomal regions linked to LOAD, and suggest the possibility of an overall coordinated regulation. This phenomenon is termed Chromeron and is analogous to the operon mechanism observed in prokaryotes. Suggested treatment targets are the retinoic-acid inactivating enzymes (CYP26)s, the retinol binding and transport proteins, retinol-binding protein (RBP)4 and transthyretin (TTR), and the retinoid receptors. TTR as a LOAD target is the subject of active investigation. The retinoid receptors and the retinoid-inactivating enzymes have previously been proposed as targets. This is the first report to suggest that RBP4 is an amenable treatment target in LOAD. RBP4 is elevated in type-2 diabetes and obesity, conditions associated with increased risk for LOAD. Fenretinide, a novel synthetic retinoic acid (RA) analog lowers RBP4 in glucose intolerant obese mice. The feasibility of using fenretinide either as an adjunct to present LOAD therapies, or on its own as an early prevention strategy should be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann B Goodman
- The Massachusetts Mental Health Center Academic Division of Public Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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