β-Turn mimetic synthetic peptides as amyloid-β aggregation inhibitors

Aggregation of amyloid peptides results in severe neurodegenerative diseases. While the fibril structures of Aβ₄₀ and Aβ₄₂ have been described recently, resolution of the aggregation pathway and evaluation of potent inhibitors still remains elusive, in particular in view of the hairpin-region of Aβ₄₀. We here report the preparation of beta-turn mimetic conjugates containing synthetic turn mimetic structures in the turn region of Aβ₄₀ and Aβ_16-35, replacing 2 amino acids in the turn-region G25 - K28. The structure of the turn mimic induces both, acceleration of fibrillation and the complete inhibition of fibrillation, confirming the importance of the turn region on the aggregation. Replacing position G25-S26 provided the best inhibition effect for both beta-turn mimetics, the bicyclic BTD 1 and the aromatic TAA 2, while positions N27-K28 and V24-G25 showed only weaker or no inhibitory effects. When comparing different turn mimetics at the same position (G25-S26), conjugate 1a bearing the BTD turn showed the best inhibition of Aβ₄₀ aggregation, while 5-amino-valeric acid 4a showed the weakest effect. Thus there is a pronounced impact on fibrillation with the chemical nature of the embedded beta-turn-mimic: the conformationally constrained turns 1 and 2 lead to a significantly reduced fibrillation, even inhibiting fibrillation of native Aβ₄₀ when added in amounts down to 1/10, whereas the more flexible beta-turn-mimics 4-amino-benzoic acid 3a and 5-amino-valeric acid 4a lead to enhanced fibrillation. Toxicity-testing of the most successful conjugate showed only minor toxicity in cell-viability assays using the N2a cell line. Structural downsizing lead to the short fragment BTD/peptide Aβ_16-35 as inhibitor of the aggregation of Aβ₄₀, opening large potential for further small peptide based inhibitors.

One-Pot Synthesis of Thermoresponsive Amyloidogenic Peptide-Polymer Conjugates via Thio-Bromo "Click" Reaction of RAFT Polymers

A synthetic strategy to efficiently prepare main-chain peptide-polymer conjugates probing their aggregation in solution is described. An in situ tandem reaction based on aminolysis/thio-bromo "click" reaction is performed to tether an amyloidogenic peptide fragment amyloid-β_17-20 (Leu-Val-Phe-Phe (LVFF)) to the ω-chain end of poly(diethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate) (PDEGA), prepared via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Structural confirmation of the constructed conjugates PDEGA-LVFF (M_n,SEC = 5600, Ð = 1.21), (M_n,SEC = 7600, Ð = 1.16), and (M_n,SEC = 8900, Ð = 1.15) is successfully made by combined studies of ¹ H NMR, size-exclusion chromatography, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and electrospray ionization time-of-flight (ESI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The effect of the peptidic constituent on the thermoresponsive behavior of the polymer is examined by UV-vis spectroscopy, and the self-assembly behavior of the amphiphilic conjugate is further exploited, exhibiting micellar morphology in aqueous solution.

Constraining Polymers into β-Turns: Miscibility and Phase Segregation Effects in Lipid Monolayers

Abstract: Investigation of model biomembranes and their interactions with natural or synthetic macromolecules are of great interest to design membrane systems with specific properties such as drug-delivery. Here we study the behavior of amphiphilic β-turn mimetic polymer conjugates at the air⁻water interface and their interactions with lipid model membranes. For this endeavor we synthesized two different types of conjugates containing either hydrophobic polyisobutylene (PIB, Mn = 5000 g·mol-1) or helical poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (PHIC, Mn = 4000 g·mol-1), both polymers being immiscible, whereas polyisobutylene as a hydrophobic polymer can incorporate into lipid membranes. The conjugates were investigated using Langmuir-film techniques coupled with epifluorescence microscopy and AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy), in addition to their phase behavior in mixed lipid/polymer membranes composed of DPPC (dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine). It was found that the DPPC monolayers are strongly disturbed by the presence of the polymer conjugates and that domain formation of the polymer conjugates occurs at high surface pressures (π > 30 mN·m-1).

[Behavior of serum cholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase activity in acute dimethoate poisoning]

With a patient who in suicidal intention had orally taken a larger quantity of Bi 58 EC (dimethoate) especially the behaviour of the serum cholinesterase activity and the whole blood acetylcholinesterase activity was observed over a period of 38 days and it was compared with the clinical appearance. For the serum cholinesterase activity and the acetylcholinesterase activity a three-phase course that with statistically proven adaption could be described only by a three-membered e-function could be shown. Till the 3rd day an extreme decrease of activity of 80-85 per cent occurred. Both cholinesterases provide the same information with regard to the consequences of intoxication. They are only quantitatively different from each other.