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Structures of oligomers of a peptide from ?-amyloid.

ABSTRACT: Amyloid oligomers play a central role in Alzheimer's and other amyloid diseases, and yet the structures of these heterogeneous and unstable species are not well understood. To better understand the structures of oligomers formed by amyloid-? peptide (A?), we have incorporated a key amyloidogenic region of A? into a macrocyclic peptide that stabilizes oligomers and facilitates structural elucidation by X-ray crystallography. This paper reports the crystallographic structures of oligomers and oligomer assemblies formed by a macrocycle containing the A?(15-23) nonapeptide. The macrocycle forms hydrogen-bonded ?-sheets that assemble into cruciform tetramers consisting of eight ?-strands in a two-layered assembly. Three of the cruciform tetramers assemble into a triangular dodecamer. These oligomers further assemble in the lattice to form hexagonal pores. Molecular modeling studies suggest that the natural A? peptide can form similar oligomers and oligomer assemblies. The crystallographic and molecular modeling studies suggest the potential for interaction of the oligomers with cell membranes and provide insights into the role of oligomers in amyloid diseases.

SUBMITTER: Pham JD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3787202 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Structures of oligomers of a peptide from β-amyloid.

Pham Johnny D JD Chim Nicholas N Goulding Celia W CW Nowick James S JS

Journal of the American Chemical Society 20130808 33

Amyloid oligomers play a central role in Alzheimer's and other amyloid diseases, and yet the structures of these heterogeneous and unstable species are not well understood. To better understand the structures of oligomers formed by amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), we have incorporated a key amyloidogenic region of Aβ into a macrocyclic peptide that stabilizes oligomers and facilitates structural elucidation by X-ray crystallography. This paper reports the crystallographic structures of oligomers and olig ...[more]

PMID: 23927812

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Project description:Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the pathological aggregation of the amyloid-? peptide (A?). Monomeric soluble A? can switch from helicoidal to ?-sheet conformation, promoting its assembly into oligomers and subsequently to amyloid fibrils. Oligomers are highly toxic to neurons and have been reported to induce synaptic transmission impairments. The progression from oligomers to fibrils forming senile plaques is currently considered a protective mechanism to avoid the presence of the highly toxic oligomers. Protein nitration is a frequent post-translational modification under AD nitrative stress conditions. A? can be nitrated at tyrosine 10 (Y10) by peroxynitrite. Based on our analysis of ThT binding, Western blot and electron and atomic force microscopy, we report that A? nitration stabilizes soluble, highly toxic oligomers and impairs the formation of fibrils. We propose a mechanism by which fibril elongation is interrupted upon Y10 nitration: Nitration disrupts fibril-forming folds by preventing H14-mediated bridging, as shown with an A? analog containing a single residue (H to E) replacement that mimics the behavior of nitrated A? related to fibril formation and neuronal toxicity. The pathophysiological role of our findings in AD was highlighted by the study of these nitrated oligomers on mouse hippocampal neurons, where an increased NMDAR-dependent toxicity of nitrated A? oligomers was observed. Our results show that A? nitrotyrosination is a post-translational modification that increases A? synaptotoxicity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:We report that nitration (i.e., the irreversible addition of a nitro group) of the Alzheimer-related peptide amyloid-? (A?) favors the stabilization of highly toxic oligomers and inhibits the formation of A? fibrils. The nitrated A? oligomers are more toxic to neurons due to increased cytosolic calcium levels throughout their action on NMDA receptors. Sustained elevated calcium levels trigger excitotoxicity, a characteristic event in Alzheimer's disease.

Project description:In the more than a century since its identification, Alzheimer's disease has become the archetype of amyloid diseases. The first glimpses of the chemical basis of Alzheimer's disease began with the identification of "amyloid" plaques in the brain in 1892 and extended to the identification of proteinaceous fibrils with "cross-?" structure in 1968. Further efforts led to the discovery of the ?-amyloid peptide, A?, as a 40- or 42-amino acid peptide that is responsible for the plaques and fibrils. At this point, a three-decade-long marathon began to elucidate the structure of the fibrils and identify the molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease. Along the way, an alternative model began to emerge in which small aggregates of A?, called "oligomers", rather than fibrils, are the culprits that lead to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. This Account describes what is known about the structures of the fibrils and details our research group's efforts to understand the structural, biophysical, and biological properties of the oligomers in amyloid diseases. ?-Sheets are the building blocks of amyloid fibrils and oligomers. Amyloid fibrils generally consist of extended networks of parallel ?-sheets. Amyloid oligomers appear to be more compact enclosed structures, some of which are thought to be composed of antiparallel ?-sheets comprising ?-hairpins. ?-Hairpins are special because their twisted shape, hydrophobic surfaces, and exposed hydrogen-bonding edges impart a unique propensity to form compact assemblies. Our laboratory has developed macrocyclic ?-sheets that are designed to mimic ?-hairpins formed by amyloidogenic peptides and proteins. The ?-hairpin mimics contain two ?-strand peptide fragments linked together at their N- and C-termini by two ?-linked ornithine turn mimics to create a macrocycle. An N-methyl group is installed on one of the ?-strands to prevent uncontrolled aggregation. These design features facilitate crystallization of the ?-hairpin mimics and determination of the X-ray crystallographic structures of the oligomers that they form. During the past few years, our laboratory has elucidated the X-ray crystallographic structures of oligomers formed by ?-hairpin mimics derived from A?, ?-synuclein, and ?2-microglobulin. Out of these three amyloidogenic peptides and proteins, the A? ?-hairpin mimics have provided the most insight into amyloid oligomers. Our studies have revealed a previously undiscovered mode of self-assembly, whereby three A? ?-hairpin mimics assemble to form a triangular trimer. The triangular trimers are remarkable, because they contain two largely hydrophobic surfaces that pack together with other triangular trimers to form higher-order oligomers, such as hexamers and dodecamers. Some of the dodecamers pack in the crystal lattice to form annular porelike assemblies. Some of the ?-hairpin mimics and triangular trimers assemble in solution to form oligomers that recapitulate the crystallographically observed oligomers. These oligomers exhibit toxicity toward neuronally derived cells, recapitulating the toxicity of the oligomers formed by full-length amyloidogenic peptides and proteins. These findings are significant, because they address a gap in understanding the molecular basis of amyloid diseases. We anticipate that these studies will pave the way for developing diagnostics and therapeutics to combat Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other amyloid diseases.

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Structures of oligomers of a peptide from ?-amyloid.

Publications

Structures of oligomers of a peptide from β-amyloid.

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