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Liu HN, Wang T, Hu JJ, Chen L, Shi X, Li YM, Luo SZ. The disordered protein SERF promotes α-Synuclein aggregation through liquid-liquid phase separation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105667. [PMID: 38272228 PMCID: PMC10877630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) into amyloid fibrils is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Under stress or other pathological conditions, the accumulation of α-Syn oligomers is the main contributor to the cytotoxicity. A potential approach for treating Parkinson's disease involves preventing the accumulation of these α-Syn oligomers. In this study, we present a novel mechanism involving a conserved group of disorderly proteins known as small EDRK-rich factor (SERF), which promotes the aggregation of α-Syn through a cophase separation process. Using diverse methods like confocal microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assays, solution-state NMR spectroscopy, and Western blot, we determined that the N-terminal domain of SERF1a plays a role in the interactions that occur during cophase separation. Within these droplets, α-Syn undergoes a gradual transformation from solid condensates to amyloid fibrils, while SERF1a is excluded from the condensates and dissolves into the solution. Notably, in vivo experiments show that SERF1a cophase separation with α-Syn significantly reduces the deposition of α-Syn oligomers and decreases its cellular toxicity under stress. These findings suggest that SERF1a accelerates the conversion of α-Syn from highly toxic oligomers to less toxic fibrils through cophase separation, thereby mitigating the biological damage of α-Syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Ning Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Jian Hu
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Long Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyan Shi
- Department of Biology, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yan-Mei Li
- Key Lab of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Shi-Zhong Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
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Gonzalez-Duarte A, Ulloa-Aguirre A. A Brief Journey through Protein Misfolding in Transthyretin Amyloidosis (ATTR Amyloidosis). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222313158. [PMID: 34884963 PMCID: PMC8658192 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222313158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidogenesis involves the formation, aggregation, and deposition of amyloid fibrils from tetrameric TTR in different organs and tissues. While the result of amyloidoses is the accumulation of amyloid fibrils resulting in end-organ damage, the nature, and sequence of the molecular causes leading to amyloidosis may differ between the different variants. In addition, fibril accumulation and toxicity vary between different mutations. Structural changes in amyloidogenic TTR have been difficult to identify through X-ray crystallography; but nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has revealed different chemical shifts in the backbone structure of mutated and wild-type TTR, resulting in diverse responses to the cellular conditions or proteolytic stress. Toxic mechanisms of TTR amyloidosis have different effects on different tissues. Therapeutic approaches have evolved from orthotopic liver transplants to novel disease-modifying therapies that stabilize TTR tetramers and gene-silencing agents like small interfering RNA and antisense oligonucleotide therapies. The underlying molecular mechanisms of the different TTR variants could be responsible for the tropisms to specific organs, the age at onset, treatment responses, or disparities in the prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Gonzalez-Duarte
- Departamento de Neurología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Col. Belisario Dominguez Sección XV, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Alfredo Ulloa-Aguirre
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Coordinación de la Investigación Científica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
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Palazzi L, Fongaro B, Leri M, Acquasaliente L, Stefani M, Bucciantini M, Polverino de Laureto P. Structural Features and Toxicity of α-Synuclein Oligomers Grown in the Presence of DOPAC. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116008. [PMID: 34199427 PMCID: PMC8199589 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The interplay between α-synuclein and dopamine derivatives is associated with oxidative stress-dependent neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The formation in the dopaminergic neurons of intraneuronal inclusions containing aggregates of α-synuclein is a typical hallmark of PD. Even though the biochemical events underlying the aberrant aggregation of α-synuclein are not completely understood, strong evidence correlates this process with the levels of dopamine metabolites. In vitro, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) and the other two metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (DOPET), share the property to inhibit the growth of mature amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein. Although this effect occurs with the formation of differently toxic products, the molecular basis of this inhibition is still unclear. Here, we provide information on the effect of DOPAC on the aggregation properties of α-synuclein and its ability to interact with membranes. DOPAC inhibits α-synuclein aggregation, stabilizing monomer and inducing the formation of dimers and trimers. DOPAC-induced oligomers did not undergo conformational transition in the presence of membranes, and penetrated the cell, where they triggered autophagic processes. Cellular assays showed that DOPAC reduced cytotoxicity and ROS production induced by α-synuclein aggregates. Our findings show that the early radicals resulting from DOPAC autoxidation produced covalent modifications of the protein, which were not by themselves a primary cause of either fibrillation or membrane binding inhibition. These findings are discussed in the light of the potential mechanism of DOPAC protection against the toxicity of α-synuclein aggregates to better understand protein and catecholamine biology and to eventually suggest a scaffold that can help in the design of candidate molecules able to interfere in α-synuclein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Palazzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.P.); (B.F.); (L.A.)
| | - Benedetta Fongaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.P.); (B.F.); (L.A.)
| | - Manuela Leri
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Firenze, 50134 Firenze, Italy; (M.L.); (M.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Laura Acquasaliente
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.P.); (B.F.); (L.A.)
| | - Massimo Stefani
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Firenze, 50134 Firenze, Italy; (M.L.); (M.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Monica Bucciantini
- Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Firenze, 50134 Firenze, Italy; (M.L.); (M.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Patrizia Polverino de Laureto
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (L.P.); (B.F.); (L.A.)
- Correspondence:
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Ami D, Sciandrone B, Mereghetti P, Falvo J, Catelani T, Visentin C, Tortora P, Ventura S, Natalello A, Regonesi ME. Pathological ATX3 Expression Induces Cell Perturbations in E. coli as Revealed by Biochemical and Biophysical Investigations. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:943. [PMID: 33477953 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation of human ataxin-3 (ATX3) is responsible for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, which belongs to the class of polyglutamine neurodegenerative disorders. It is widely accepted that the formation of toxic oligomeric species is primarily involved in the onset of the disease. For this reason, to understand the mechanisms underlying toxicity, we expressed both a physiological (ATX3-Q24) and a pathological ATX3 variant (ATX3-Q55) in a simplified cellular model, Escherichia coli. It has been observed that ATX3-Q55 expression induces a higher reduction of the cell growth compared to ATX3-Q24, due to the bacteriostatic effect of the toxic oligomeric species. Furthermore, the Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy investigation, supported by multivariate analysis, made it possible to monitor protein aggregation and the induced cell perturbations in intact cells. In particular, it has been found that the toxic oligomeric species associated with the expression of ATX3-Q55 are responsible for the main spectral changes, ascribable mainly to the cell envelope modifications. A structural alteration of the membrane detected through electron microscopy analysis in the strain expressing the pathological form supports the spectroscopic results.
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Iljina M, Dear AJ, Garcia GA, De S, Tosatto L, Flagmeier P, Whiten DR, Michaels TCT, Frenkel D, Dobson CM, Knowles TPJ, Klenerman D. Quantifying Co-Oligomer Formation by α-Synuclein. ACS Nano 2018; 12:10855-10866. [PMID: 30371053 PMCID: PMC6262461 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b03575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Small oligomers of the protein α-synuclein (αS) are highly cytotoxic species associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, αS can form co-aggregates with its mutational variants and with other proteins such as amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau, which are implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The processes of self-oligomerization and co-oligomerization of αS are, however, challenging to study quantitatively. Here, we have utilized single-molecule techniques to measure the equilibrium populations of oligomers formed in vitro by mixtures of wild-type αS with its mutational variants and with Aβ40, Aβ42, and a fragment of tau. Using a statistical mechanical model, we find that co-oligomer formation is generally more favorable than self-oligomer formation at equilibrium. Furthermore, self-oligomers more potently disrupt lipid membranes than do co-oligomers. However, this difference is sometimes outweighed by the greater formation propensity of co-oligomers when multiple proteins coexist. Our results suggest that co-oligomer formation may be important in PD and related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Iljina
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Alexander J. Dear
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Gonzalo A. Garcia
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Suman De
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Laura Tosatto
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Patrick Flagmeier
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Daniel R. Whiten
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Thomas C. T. Michaels
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Daan Frenkel
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- E-mail:
| | - David Klenerman
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United
Kingdom
- UK
Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
- E-mail:
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Abstract
Chaperones have long been recognized to play well defined functions such as to: (i) assist protein folding and promote formation and maintenance of multisubunit complexes; (ii) mediate protein degradation; (iii) inhibit protein aggregation; and (iv) promote disassembly of undesired aberrant protein aggregates. In addition to these well-established functions, it is increasingly clear that chaperones can also interact with aberrant protein aggregates, such as pre-fibrillar oligomers and fibrils, and inhibit their toxicity commonly associated with neurodegenerative diseases without promoting their disassembly. In particular, the evidence collected so far in different labs, exploiting different experimental approaches and using different chaperones and client aggregated proteins, indicates the existence of two distinct mechanisms of action mediated by the chaperones to neutralize the toxicity of aberrant proteins oligomers: (i) direct binding of the chaperones to the hydrophobic patches exposed on the oligomer/fibril surface, with resulting shielding or masking of the moieties responsible for the aberrant interactions with cellular targets; (ii) chaperone-mediated conversion of aberrant protein aggregates into large and more innocuous species, resulting in a decrease of their surface-to-volume ratio and diffusibility and in deposits more easily manageable by clearance mechanisms, such as autophagy. In this review article we will describe the in vitro and in vivo evidence supporting both mechanisms and how this results in a suppression of the detrimental effects caused by protein misfolded aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of FlorenceFlorence, Italy
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Strømland Ø, Jakubec M, Furse S, Halskau Ø. Detection of misfolded protein aggregates from a clinical perspective. J Clin Transl Res 2016; 2:11-26. [PMID: 30873457 PMCID: PMC6410640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative Protein Misfolding Diseases (PMDs), such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD) and prion diseases, are generally difficult to diagnose before irreversible damage to the central nervous system damage has occurred. Detection of the misfolded proteins that ultimately lead to these conditions offers a means for providing early detection and diagnosis of this class of disease. In this review, we discuss recent developments surrounding protein misfolding diseases with emphasis on the cytotoxic oligomers implicated in their aetiology. We also discuss the relationship of misfolded proteins with biological membranes. Finally, we discuss how far techniques for providing early diagnoses for PMDs have advanced and describe promising clinical approaches. We conclude that antibodies with specificity towards oligomeric species of AD and PD and lectins with specificity for particular glycosylation, show promise. However, it is not clear which approach may yield a reliable clinical test first. Relevance for patients: Individuals suffering from protein misfolding diseases will likely benefit form earlier, less- or even non-invasive diagnosis techniques. The current state and possible future directions for these are subject of this review.
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