1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucopyranose Binds to the N-terminal Metal Binding Region to Inhibit Amyloid ß-protein Oligomer and Fibril Formation.

The early oligomerization of amyloid ß-protein (Aß) is a crucial step in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which soluble and highly neurotoxic oligomers are produced and accumulated inside neurons. In search of therapeutic solutions for AD treatment and prevention, potent inhibitors that remodel Aß assembly and prevent neurotoxic oligomer formation offer a promising approach. In particular, several polyphenolic compounds have shown anti-aggregation properties and good efficacy on inhibiting oligomeric amyloid formation. 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucopyranose is a large polyphenol that has been shown to be effective at inhibiting aggregation of full-length Aß1-40 and Aß1-42, but has the opposite effect on the C-terminal fragment Aß25-35. Here, we use a combination of ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry (IMS-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to elucidate the inhibitory effect of PGG on aggregation of full-length Aß1-40 and Aß1-42. We show that PGG interacts strongly with these two peptides, especially in their N-terminal metal binding regions, and suppresses the formation of Aß1-40 tetramer and Aß1-42 dodecamer. By exploring multiple facets of polyphenol-amyloid interactions, we provide a molecular basis for the opposing effects of PGG on full-length Aß and its C-terminal fragments.

Amino Acid Metaclusters: Implications of Growth Trends on Peptide Self-Assembly and Structure.

Ion-mobility mass spectrometry is utilized to examine the metacluster formation of serine, asparagine, isoleucine, and tryptophan. These amino acids are representative of different classes of noncharged amino acids. We show that they can form relatively large metaclusters in solution that are difficult or impossible to observe by traditional solution techniques. We further demonstrate, as an example, that the formation of Ser metaclusters is not an ESI artifact because large metaclusters can be detected in negative polarity and low concentration with similar cross sections to those measured in positive polarity and higher concentration. The growth trends of tryptophan and isoleucine metaclusters, along with serine, asparagine, and the previously studied phenylalanine, are balanced among various intrinsic properties of individual amino acids (e.g., hydrophobicity, size, and shape). The metacluster cross sections of hydrophilic residues (Ser, Asn, Trp) tend to stay on or fall below the isotropic model trend lines whereas those of hydrophobic amino acids (Ile, Phe) deviate positively from the isotropic trend lines. The growth trends correlate well to the predicted aggregation propensity of individual amino acids. From the metacluster data, we introduce a novel approach to score and predict aggregation propensity of peptides, which can offer a significant improvement over the existing methods in terms of accuracy. Using a set of hexapeptides, we show that the strong negative deviations of Ser metaclusters from the isotropic model leads a prediction of microcrystalline formation for the SFSFSF peptide, whereas the strong positive deviation of Ile leads to prediction or fibril formation for the NININI peptide. Both predictions are confirmed experimentally using ion mobility and TEM measurements. The peptide SISISI is predicted to only weakly aggregate, a prediction confirmed by TEM.

Distal amyloid ß-protein fragments template amyloid assembly.

Amyloid formation is associated with devastating diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Type-2 diabetes. The large amyloid deposits found in patients suffering from these diseases have remained difficult to probe by structural means. Recent NMR models also predict heterotypic interactions from distinct peptide fragments but limited evidence of heterotypic packed sheets is observed in solution. Here we characterize two segments of the protein amyloid ß (Aß) known to form fibrils in Alzheimer's disease patients. We designed two variants of Aß(19-24) and Aß(27-32), IFAEDV (I6V) and NKGAIF (N6F) to lower the aggregation propensity of individual peptides while maintaining the similar interactions between the two segments in their native forms. We found that the variants do not form significant amyloid fibrils individually but a 1:1 mixture forms abundant fibrils. Using ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS), hetero-oligomers up to decamers were found in the mixture while the individual peptides formed primarily dimers and some tetramers consistent with a strong heterotypic interaction between the two segments. We showed by X-ray crystallography that I6V formed a Class 7 zipper with a weakly packed pair of ß-sheets and no segregated dry interface, while N6F formed a more stable Class 1 zipper. In a mixture of equimolar N6F:I6V, I6V forms a more stable zipper than in I6V alone while no N6F or hetero-typic zippers are observed. These data are consistent with a mechanism where N6F catalyzes assembly of I6V into a stable zipper and perhaps into stable, pure I6V fibrils that are observed in AFM measurements.

Opposing Effects of Cucurbit[7]uril and 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucopyranose on Amyloid ß25-35 Assembly.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by extracellular deposits of amyloid ß protein (Aß) in the brain. The conversion of soluble monomers to amyloid Aß fibrils is a complicated process and involves several transient oligomeric species, which are widely believed to be highly toxic and play a crucial role in the etiology of AD. The development of inhibitors to prevent formation of small and midsized oligomers is a promising strategy for AD treatment. In this work, we employ ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to elucidate the structural modulation promoted by two potential inhibitors of Aß oligomerization, cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-d-glucopyranose (PGG), on early oligomer and fibril formation of the Aß25-35 fragment. One and two CB[7] molecules bind to Aß25-35 monomers and dimers, respectively, and suppress aggregation by remodeling early oligomer structures and inhibiting the formation of higher-order oligomers. On the other hand, nonselective binding was observed between PGG and Aß25-35. The interactions between PGG and Aß25-35, surprisingly, enhanced the formation of Aß aggregates by promoting extended Aß25-35 conformations in both homo- and hetero-oligomers. When both ligands were present, the inhibitory effect of CB[7] overrode the stimulatory effect of PGG on Aß25-35 aggregation, suppressing the formation of large amyloid oligomers and eliminating the structural conversion from isotropic to ß-rich topologies induced by PGG. Our results provide mechanistic insights into CB[7] and PGG action on Aß oligomerization. They also demonstrate the power of the IMS technique to investigate mechanisms of multiple small-molecule agents on the amyloid formation process.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of 1-hydroxyethyl radical reaction with unsaturated lipids and prenylflavonoids.

Hydroxyalkyl radicals have been reported to induce lipid oxidation as the key aspect of the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease and are responsible for the alkylation and cleavage of DNA during the metabolism of a wide range of genotoxic compounds. However, relevant kinetic data for the oxidation of unsaturated lipids by 1-hydroxyethyl radical (HER) has not been reported. In this study, the rate constants for the reaction of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters and sterols with HER have been determined using a competitive kinetic approach employing the spin-trap α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (4-POBN) as the competitive substrate. Polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl ester is shown to react with HER with an apparent second-order rate constant ranging from (3.7 ± 0.1) × 10(6) L mol(-1) s(-1) for methyl linoleate to (2.7 ± 0.2) × 10(7) L mol(-1) s(-1) for methyl docosahexanoate at 25.0 ± 0.2 °C in ethanol. The apparent second-order rate constant for polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl ester oxidation by HER is dependent on the number of bisallylic hydrogen atoms rather than on the bond dissociation energy value for the weakest C-H bond as determined by ab initio density functional theory calculations. Sterols displayed higher reactivity compared to unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters with apparent second-order rate constants of (2.7 ± 0.1) × 10(6) and (5.2 ± 0.1) × 10(7) L mol(-1) s(-1) at 25.0 ± 0.2 °C in ethanol for cholesterol and ergosterol, respectively. Similar experiments with prenylflavonoids as potential herbal chemopreventive agents for preventing alcoholic liver diseases yield apparent second-order rate constants close to the diffusion control with kapp values of (1.5 ± 0.2) and (3.6 ± 0.1) × 10(9) L mol(-1)s(-1) for 6-prenylnarigerin and xanthohumol at 25.0 ± 0.2 °C in ethanol solution, respectively. Polyunsaturated lipids were revealed to be highly reactive oxidizable substrates toward HER-induced oxidation in biological systems leading to damage of membranes and sensitive structures.

Beer thiol-containing compounds and redox stability: kinetic study of 1-hydroxyethyl radical scavenging ability.

The 1-hydroxyethyl radical is a central intermediate in oxidative reactions occurring in beer. The reactivity of thiol-containing compounds toward 1-hydroxyethyl radical was evaluated in beer model solutions using a competitive kinetic approach, employing the spin-trap 4-POBN as a probe and by using electron paramagnetic resonance to detect the generated 1-hydroxyethyl/4-POBN spin adduct. Thiol-containing compounds were highly reactive toward the 1-hydroxyethyl radical with apparent second-order rate constants close to the diffusion limit in water and ranging from 0.5 × 109 L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the His-Cys-Lys-Phe-Trp-Trp peptide to 6.1 × 109 L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ for the reduced lipid transfer protein 1 (LTP1) isolated from beer. The reactions gave rise to a moderate kinetic isotope effect (k(H)/k(D) = 2.3) suggesting that reduction of the 1-hydroxyethyl radical by thiol-containing compounds takes place by hydrogen atom abstraction from the RSH group rather than electron transfer. The content of reduced thiols in different beers was determined using a previously established method based on ThioGlo-1 as the thiol derivatization reagent and detection of the derivatized thiols by reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled to a fluorescence detector. The total level of thiol in beer (oxidized and reduced) was determined after a reduction step employing 3,3',3″-phosphanetriyltripropanoic acid (TCEP) as the disulfide reductant. A good correlation among total protein and total thiol content in different beers was observed. The results suggest a similar ratio between reduced thiols and disulfides in all of the tested beers, which indicates a similar redox state.

On the reaction of lupulones, hops ß-acids, with 1-hydroxyethyl radical.

Lupulones, hops ß-acids, are one of the main constituents of the hops resin and have an important contribution to the overall bacteriostatic activity of hops during beer brewing. The use of lupulones as natural alternatives to antibiotics is increasing in the food industry and also in bioethanol production. However, lupulones are easy oxidizable and have been shown to be very reactive toward 1-hydroxyethyl radical with apparent bimolecular rate constants close to diffusion control k = 2.9 × 10(8) and 2.6 × 10(8) L mol(-1) s(-1) at 25.0 ± 0.2 °C in ethanol-water solution (10% of ethanol (v/v)) as probed by EPR and ESI-IT-MS/MS spin-trapping competitive kinetics, respectively. The free energy change for an electron-transfer mechanism is ΔG° = 106 kJ/mol as calculated from the oxidation peak potential experimentally determined for lupulones (1.1 V vs NHE) by cyclic voltammetry and the reported reduction potential for 1-hydroxyethyl radical. The major reaction products identified by LC-ESI-IT-MS/MS and ultrahigh-resolution accurate mass spectrometry (orbitrap FT-MS) are hydroxylated lupulone derivatives and 1-hydroxyethyl radical adducts. The lack of pH dependence for the reaction rate constant, the calculated free energy change for electron transfer, and the main reaction products strongly suggest the prenyl side chains at the hops ß-acids as the reaction centers rather than the ß,ß'-triketone moiety.

Reactivity of beer bitter acids toward the 1-hydroxyethyl radical as probed by spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS).

The iso-α-acids or isohumulones are the major contributors to the bitter taste of beer, and it is well-recognized that they are degraded during beer aging. In particular, the trans-isohumulones seem to be less stable than the cis-isohumulones. The major radical identified in beer is the 1-hydroxyethyl radical; however, the reactivity between this radical and the isohumulones has not been reported until now. Therefore, we studied the reactivity of isohumulones toward the 1-hydroxyethyl radical through a competitive kinetic approach. It was observed that both cis- and trans-isohumulones and dihydroisohumulones are decomposed in the presence of 1-hydroxyethyl radicals, while the reactivities are comparable. On the other hand, the tetrahydroisohumulones did not react with 1-hydroxyethyl radicals. The apparent second-order rate constants for the reactions between the 1-hydroxyethyl radical and these compounds were determined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry [ESI(+)-MS/MS]. It follows that degradation of beer bitter acids is highly influenced by the presence of 1-hydroxyethyl radicals. The reaction products were detected by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-IT-MS/MS), and the formation of oxidized derivatives of the isohumulones was confirmed. These data help to understand the mechanism of beer degradation upon aging.