Trodusquemine enhances Aβ42 aggregation but suppresses its toxicity by displacing oligomers from cell membranes

• Published in: Nature communications 2019-01, Vol.10 (1), p.1-13, Article 225
• Main Authors: Limbocker, Ryan, Chia, Sean, Ruggeri, Francesco S., Perni, Michele, Cascella, Roberta, Heller, Gabriella T., Meisl, Georg, Mannini, Benedetta, Habchi, Johnny, Michaels, Thomas C. T., Challa, Pavan K., Ahn, Minkoo, Casford, Samuel T., Fernando, Nilumi, Xu, Catherine K., Kloss, Nina D., Cohen, Samuel I. A., Kumita, Janet R., Cecchi, Cristina, Zasloff, Michael, Linse, Sara, Knowles, Tuomas P. J., Chiti, Fabrizio, Vendruscolo, Michele, Dobson, Christopher M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13/106; 14/19; 140/131; 147/143; 147/3; 631/535/878; 631/57; 631/57/2270; 631/92; 64/11; Agglomeration; Alzheimer's disease; Basic Medicine; Cell and Molecular Biology; Cell membranes; Cell- och molekylärbiologi; Cytotoxicity; Drug dosages; Fibrils; Humanities and Social Sciences; Investigations; Läkemedelskemi; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicinal Chemistry; Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper; Membranes; multidisciplinary; Neuroblastoma; Neuroblastoma cells; Nucleation; Oligomers; Peptides; Physiology; Polyamines; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sterols; Toxicity; β-Amyloid
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07699-5

Transient oligomeric species formed during the aggregation process of the 42-residue form of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ 42 ) are key pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To investigate the relationship between Aβ 42 aggregation and its cytotoxicity and the influence of a potential drug on both phenomena, we have studied the effects of trodusquemine. This aminosterol enhances the rate of aggregation by promoting monomer-dependent secondary nucleation, but significantly reduces the toxicity of the resulting oligomers to neuroblastoma cells by inhibiting their binding to the cellular membranes. When administered to a C. elegans model of AD, we again observe an increase in aggregate formation alongside the suppression of Aβ 42 -induced toxicity. In addition to oligomer displacement, the reduced toxicity could also point towards an increased rate of conversion of oligomers to less toxic fibrils. The ability of a small molecule to reduce the toxicity of oligomeric species represents a potential therapeutic strategy against AD. Transient oligomeric species of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ 42 ) have been identified as key pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease. Here the authors find that the aminosterol trodusquemine enhances Aβ 42 aggregation and suppresses Aβ 42 -induced toxicity by displacing oligomers from cell membranes.