4-Hydroxynonenal-modified amyloid-beta peptide inhibits the proteasome: possible importance in Alzheimer's disease

The amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) is a 4-kDa species derived from the amyloid precursor protein, which accumulates in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Although we lack full understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of selective neuron death, considerable data do imply roles for both the toxic Aβ and increased oxidative stress. Another significant observation is the accumulation of abnormal, ubiquitin-conjugated proteins in affected neurons, suggesting dysfunction of the proteasome proteolytic system in these cells. Recent reports have indicated that Aβ can bind and inhibit the proteasome, the major cytoslic protease for degrading damaged and ubiquitin-conjugated proteins. Earlier results from our laboratory showed that moderately oxidized proteins are preferentially recognized and degraded by the proteasome; however, severely oxidized proteins cannot be easily degraded and, instead, inhibit the proteasome. We hypothesized that oxidatively modified Aβ might have a stronger (or weaker) inhibitory effect on the proteasome than does native Aβ. We therefore also investigated the proteasome inhibitory action of Aβ _1–40 (a peptide comprising the first 40 residues of Aβ) modified by the intracellular oxidant hydrogen peroxide, and by the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). H₂O₂ modification of Aβ _1–40 generates a progressively poorer inhibitor of the purified human 20S proteasome. In contrast, HNE modification of Aβ _1–40 generates a progressively more selective and efficient inhibitor of the degradation of fluorogenic peptides and oxidized protein substrates by human 20S proteasome. This interaction may contribute to certain pathological manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease Received 26 September 2000; accepted 26 September 2000     

γ-分泌酶与阿尔茨海默病的研究进展

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)是老年人最常见的神经系统退行性疾病.经β-和γ-分泌酶切割形成的β淀粉样蛋白(amyloid-beta,Aβ)与AD的发生密切相关.γ-分泌酶是一个含有早老素的复合蛋白体,作为Aβ代谢的关键酶,它是治疗AD的潜力的靶点.在过去20年里,药物研究且发现了能抑制或调节γ-分泌酶的小分子化合物,部分化合物已经进入临床研究.本文就Aβ的形成、γ-分泌酶的结构及目前γ-分泌酶的抑制剂、调节剂的研究进展作一综述介绍.     

神经元及神经环路活性异常与阿尔茨海默病研究进展

 细胞外淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）沉积和细胞内神经纤维缠结是阿尔茨海默病的典型病理特征。淀粉样蛋白和tau蛋白（神经纤维缠结的主要组成成分）在脑中的异常聚集会导致神经元活性异常,进而引起神经环路结构及功能紊乱,最终造成阿尔茨海默病患者认知功能障碍。概述了Aβ及tau蛋白的生成及调控,阐述了Aβ及tau蛋白异常聚集在神经元及神经环路活动中的作用和机制,综述了ApoE、炎症反应及成体神经发生异常在AD神经元及神经环路活动障碍中的作用。     

原小檗碱类多靶点抗老年性痴呆症药理作用

 原小檗碱是一类异喹啉生物碱,具有相同的药效基团。本研究检测了以小檗碱和四氢黄藤素为代表的原小檗碱多靶点抗AD效应及分子作用机制。以人神经母细胞瘤SH SY5Y为研究对象,利用Western blot检测药物对细胞全长APP和BACE1蛋白水平的影响;ELISA技术检测细胞外可溶性淀粉样前体蛋白α (sAPPα) 的分泌;酶活性检测试剂盒检测乙酰胆碱酯酶 (AChE) 的活性。结果显示,药物处理细胞24 h后,二者均能显著地抑制BACE1蛋白的表达,并可使sAPPα的分泌显著增加,但未见细胞APP蛋白含量明显变化,同时对该细胞的AchE的活性具有显著的抑制作用。以上结果证明：原小檗碱生物碱药理活性涉及预防和减少Aβ沉积和增强乙酰胆碱对脑胆碱受体的作用,并通过细胞自身的代谢增加具有神经营养作用的sAPPα的分泌。提示此类化合物具有多靶点抗老年痴呆的潜能,通过结构优化改造,将有望获得副作用小的新一代抗AD有效药物。     

Crystallin proteins and amyloid fibrils

Improper protein folding (misfolding) can lead to the formation of disordered (amorphous) or ordered (amyloid fibril) aggregates. The major lens protein, α-crystallin, is a member of the small heat-shock protein (sHsp) family of intracellular molecular chaperone proteins that prevent protein aggregation. Whilst the chaperone activity of sHsps against amorphously aggregating proteins has been well studied, its action against fibril-forming proteins has received less attention despite the presence of sHsps in deposits found in fibril-associated diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s). In this review, the literature on the interaction of αB-crystallin and other sHsps with fibril-forming proteins is summarized. In particular, the ability of sHsps to prevent fibril formation, their mechanisms of action and the possible in vivo consequences of such associations are discussed. Finally, the fibril-forming propensity of the crystallin proteins and its implications for cataract formation are described along with the potential use of fibrillar crystallin proteins as bionanomaterials. Received 13 June 2008; received after revision 29 July 2008; accepted 05 August 2008     

Fe65L2基因存在4种剪接形式

Ｆｅ６５Ｌ２是一种与老年痴呆症关蛋白－淀粉样肽前体蛋白相互作用的蛋白。报道了Ｆｅ６５Ｌ２基因的２种新的剪接形式,并证实了该基因存在４种剪接形式。这４种剪接形式是由同一个内含子中分别为６ｎｔ和２１ｎｔ的２段外显子序列按不同组合拼接而成的。     

On the structural definition of amyloid fibrils and other polypeptide aggregates

Amyloid fibrils occur inside the human body, associated with ageing or a group of diseases that includes, amongst others, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis and type II diabetes. Many natural polypeptide chains are able to form amyloid fibrils in vivo or in vitro, and this ability has been suggested to represent an inherent consequence of the chemical structure of the polypeptide chain. Recent literature has provided a wealth of information about the structure of aggregates, precipitates, amyloid fibrils and other types of fibrillar polypeptide assemblies. However, the biophysical meaning associated with these terms can differ considerably depending on the context of their usage. This overview presents a structural comparison of amyloid fibrils and other types of polypeptide assemblies and defines amyloid fibrils, based on structural considerations, as fibrillar polypeptide aggregates with a cross-β conformation. Received 1 March 2007; received after revision 15 March 2007; accepted 25 April 2007     

Amyloid fibrils from the viewpoint of protein folding

In amyloid related diseases, proteins form fibrillar aggregates with highly ordered -sheet structure regardless of their native conformations. Formation of such amyloid fibrils can be reproducible in vitro using isolated proteins/peptides, suggesting that amyloid fibril formation takes place as a result of protein conformational change. In vitro studies revealed that perturbation of the native structure is important for the fibril formation, and it is suggested that the mechanisms of amyloid fibril formation share the mechanisms of protein folding. In particular, amyloid fibril formation is similar to one of the common features of proteins, i.e. amorphous aggregation upon partial unfolding, which is likely driven by hydrophobic interactions through exposed protein interior. However, these molecular associations are distinct phenomena, and identifying factors that lead to amyloid fibril formation would precede our understanding of the mechanisms of amyloid fibrillization. The necessity of understanding the nature of protein denatured states is also suggested.Received 6 July 2003; accepted 19 August 2003