Intracellular spatially-targeted chemical chaperones increase native state stability of mutant SOD1 barrel.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder with currently no cure. Central to the cellular dysfunction associated with this fatal proteinopathy is the accumulation of unfolded/misfolded superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in various subcellular locations. The molecular mechanism driving the formation of SOD1 aggregates is not fully understood but numerous studies suggest that aberrant aggregation escalates with folding instability of mutant apoSOD1. Recent advances on combining organelle-targeting therapies with the anti-aggregation capacity of chemical chaperones have successfully reduce the subcellular load of misfolded/aggregated SOD1 as well as their downstream anomalous cellular processes at low concentrations (micromolar range). Nevertheless, if such local aggregate reduction directly correlates with increased folding stability remains to be explored. To fill this gap, we synthesized and tested here the effect of 9 ER-, mitochondria- and lysosome-targeted chemical chaperones on the folding stability of truncated monomeric SOD1 (SOD1bar) mutants directed to those organelles. We found that compound ER-15 specifically increased the native state stability of ER-SOD1bar-A4V, while scaffold compound FDA-approved 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) decreased it. Furthermore, our results suggested that ER15 mechanism of action is distinct from that of PBA, opening new therapeutic perspectives of this novel chemical chaperone on ALS treatment.

Self-Assembly of Tunable Intrinsically Disordered Peptide Amphiphiles.

Intrinsically disordered peptide amphiphiles (IDPAs) present a novel class of synthetic conjugates that consist of short hydrophilic polypeptides anchored to hydrocarbon chains. These hybrid polymer-lipid block constructs spontaneously self-assemble into dispersed nanoscopic aggregates or ordered mesophases in aqueous solution due to hydrophobic interactions. Yet, the possible sequence variations and their influence on the self-assembly structures are vast and have hardly been explored. Here, we measure the nanoscopic self-assembled structures of four IDPA systems that differ by their amino acid sequence. We show that permutations in the charge pattern along the sequence remarkably alter the headgroup conformation and consequently alter the pH-triggered phase transitions between spherical, cylindrical micelles and hexagonal condensed phases. We demonstrate that even a single amino acid mutation is sufficient to tune structural transitions in the condensed IDPA mesophases, while peptide conformations remain unfolded and disordered. Furthermore, alteration of the peptide sequence can render IDPAs to become susceptible to enzymatic cleavage and induce enzymatically activated phase transitions. These results hold great potential for embedding multiple functionalities into lipid nanoparticle delivery systems by incorporating IDPAs with the desired properties.

4-Phenylbutyric Acid (4-PBA) Derivatives Prevent SOD1 Amyloid Aggregation In Vitro with No Effect on Disease Progression in SOD1-ALS Mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons. Mutations in the superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene, causing protein misfolding and aggregation, were suggested as the pathogenic mechanisms involved in familial ALS cases. In the present study, we investigated the potential therapeutic effect of C4 and C5, two derivatives of the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA). By combining in vivo and in vitro techniques, we show that, although C4 and C5 successfully inhibited amyloid aggregation of recombinant mutant SOD1 in a dose-dependent manner, they failed to suppress the accumulation of misfolded SOD1. Moreover, C4 or C5 daily injections to SOD1G93A mice following onset had no effect on either the accumulation of misfolded SOD1 or the neuroinflammatory response in the spinal cord and, consequently, failed to extend the survival of SOD1G93A mice or to improve their motor symptoms. Finally, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies demonstrated that high concentrations of C4 and C5 reached the brain and spinal cord but only for a short period of time. Thus, our findings suggest that use of such chemical chaperones for ALS drug development may need to be optimized for more effective results.

Order from Disorder with Intrinsically Disordered Peptide Amphiphiles.

Amphiphilic molecules and their self-assembled structures have long been the target of extensive research due to their potential applications in fields ranging from materials design to biomedical and cosmetic applications. Increasing demands for functional complexity have been met with challenges in biochemical engineering, driving researchers to innovate in the design of new amphiphiles. An emerging class of molecules, namely, peptide amphiphiles, combines key advantages and circumvents some of the disadvantages of conventional phospholipids and block copolymers. Herein, we present new peptide amphiphiles composed of an intrinsically disordered peptide conjugated to two variants of hydrophobic dendritic domains. These molecules, termed intrinsically disordered peptide amphiphiles (IDPA), exhibit a sharp pH-induced micellar phase-transition from low-dispersity spheres to extremely elongated worm-like micelles. We present an experimental characterization of the transition and propose a theoretical model to describe the pH-response. We also present the potential of the shape transition to serve as a mechanism for the design of a cargo hold-and-release application. Such amphiphilic systems demonstrate the power of tailoring the interactions between disordered peptides for various stimuli-responsive biomedical applications.

Investigation of the Membrane Fluidity Regulation of Fatty Acid Intracellular Distribution by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Novel Polarity Sensitive Fluorescent Derivatives.

Free fatty acids are essential structural components of the cell, and their intracellular distribution and effects on membrane organelles have crucial roles in regulating the metabolism, development, and cell cycle of most cell types. Here we engineered novel fluorescent, polarity-sensitive fatty acid derivatives, with the fatty acid aliphatic chain of increasing length (from 12 to 18 carbons). As in the laurdan probe, the lipophilic acyl tail is connected to the environmentally sensitive dimethylaminonaphthalene moiety. The fluorescence lifetime imaging analysis allowed us to monitor the intracellular distribution of the free fatty acids within the cell, and to simultaneously examine how the fluidity and the microviscosity of the membrane environment influence their localization. Each of these probes can thus be used to investigate the membrane fluidity regulation of the correspondent fatty acid intracellular distribution. We observed that, in PC-12 cells, fluorescent sensitive fatty acid derivatives with increased chain length compartmentalize more preferentially in the fluid regions, characterized by a low microviscosity. Moreover, fatty acid derivatives with the longest chain compartmentalize in lipid droplets and lysosomes with characteristic lifetimes, thus making these probes a promising tool for monitoring lipophagy and related events.

A Lipophilic 4-Phenylbutyric Acid Derivative That Prevents Aggregation and Retention of Misfolded Proteins.

Chemical chaperones prevent protein aggregation. However, the use of chemical chaperones as drugs against diseases due to protein aggregation is limited by the very high active concentrations (mm range) required to mediate their effect. One of the most common chemical chaperones is 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA). Despite its unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties, 4-PBA was approved as a drug to treat ornithine cycle diseases. Here, we report that 2-isopropyl-4-phenylbutanoic acid (5) has been found to be 2-10-fold more effective than 4-PBA in several in vitro models of protein aggregation. Importantly, compound 5 reduced the secretion rate of autism-linked Arg451Cys Neuroligin3 (R451C NLGN3).

Nrf2 Activation by SK-119 Attenuates Oxidative Stress, UVB, and LPS-Induced Damage.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Nrf2 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in neutralizing excess reactive oxygen species formation and therefore enhancing the endogenous cellular protection mechanism. Thus, activating this pathway may provide therapeutic options against oxidative stress-related disorders. We have recently applied a computer-aided drug design approach to the design and synthesis of novel Nrf2 enhancers. The current study was aimed at investigating the potential beneficial impact of (E)-5-oxo-1-(4-((2,4,6-trihydroxybenzylidene)amino)phenyl)pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid (SK-119) in skin oxidative damage models. METHODS: SK-119, tested initially in PC-12 cells, attenuated oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity concomitantly with Nrf2 activation. The potential impact of this compound was evaluated in skin-based disease models both in vitro (HaCaT cells) and ex vivo (human skin organ culture). RESULTS: The data clearly showed the marked anti-inflammatory and photoprotection properties of the compound; SK-119-treated cells or tissues displayed a reduction in cytokine secretion induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in a manner comparable with dexamethasone. In addition, topical application of SK-119 was able to block UVB-induced oxidative stress and attenuated caspase-mediated apoptosis, DNA adduct formation, and the concomitant cellular damage. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that SK-119 is an Nrf2 activator that can be used as a prototype molecule for the development of novel treatments of dermatological disorders related to oxidative stress.

Chemical chaperones targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lysosome prevented neurodegeneration in a C9orf72 repeat expansion drosophila amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) model.

BACKGROUND: ALS is an incurable neuromuscular degenerative disorder. A familiar form of the disease (fALS) is related to point mutations. The most common one is an expansion of a noncoding GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat of the C9orf72 gene on chromosome 9p21. An abnormal translation of the C9orf72 gene generates dipeptide repeat proteins that aggregate in the brain. One of the classical approaches for developing treatment against protein aggregation-related diseases is to use chemical chaperones (CSs). In this work, we describe the development of novel 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) lysosome/ER-targeted derivatives. We assumed that 4-PBA targeting to specific organelles, where protein degradation takes place, might reduce the 4-PBA effective concentration. METHODS: Organic chemistry synthetic methods and solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) were used for preparing the 4-PBA derivatives. The obtained compounds were evaluated in an ALS Drosophila model that expressed C9orf72 repeat expansion, causing eye degeneration. Targeting to lysosome was validated by the 19F-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. RESULTS: Several synthesized compounds exhibited a significant biological effect by ameliorating the eye degeneration. They blocked the neurodegeneration of fly retina at different efficacy levels. The most active CS was compound 9, which is a peptide derivative and was targeted to ER. Another active compound targeted to lysosome was compound 4. CONCLUSIONS: Novel CSs were more effective than 4-PBA; therefore, they might be used as a new class of drug candidates to treat ALS and other protein misfolding disorders.

Structural and Dynamics Characterization of the MerR Family Metalloregulator CueR in its Repression and Activation States.

CueR (Cu export regulator) is a metalloregulator protein that "senses" Cu(I) ions with very high affinity, thereby stimulating DNA binding and the transcription activation of two other metalloregulator proteins. The crystal structures of CueR when unbound or bound to DNA and a metal ion are very similar to each other, and the role of CueR and Cu(I) in initiating the transcription has not been fully understood yet. Using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) measurements and structure modeling, we investigate the conformational changes that CueR undergoes upon binding Cu(I) and DNA in solution. We observe three distinct conformations, corresponding to apo-CueR, DNA-bound CueR in the absence of Cu(I) (the "repression" state), and CueR-Cu(I)-DNA (the "activation" state). We propose a detailed structural mechanism underlying CueR's regulation of the transcription process. The mechanism explicitly shows the dependence of CueR activity on copper, thereby revealing the important negative feedback mechanism essential for regulating the intracellular copper concentration.