ABSTRACT
The misfolding of intrinsically disordered proteins such as α-synuclein, tau and the Aß peptide has been associated with many highly debilitating neurodegenerative syndromes including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Therapeutic targeting of the monomeric state of such intrinsically disordered proteins by small molecules has, however, been a major challenge because of their heterogeneous conformational properties. We show here that a combination of computational and experimental techniques has led to the identification of a drug-like phenyl-sulfonamide compound (ELN484228), that targets α-synuclein, a key protein in Parkinson's disease. We found that this compound has substantial biological activity in cellular models of α-synuclein-mediated dysfunction, including rescue of α-synuclein-induced disruption of vesicle trafficking and dopaminergic neuronal loss and neurite retraction most likely by reducing the amount of α-synuclein targeted to sites of vesicle mobilization such as the synapse in neurons or the site of bead engulfment in microglial cells. These results indicate that targeting α-synuclein by small molecules represents a promising approach to the development of therapeutic treatments of Parkinson's disease and related conditions.
Subject(s)
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Parkinson Disease/drug therapy , Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology , Small Molecule Libraries/therapeutic use , alpha-Synuclein/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Binding Sites , Dopaminergic Neurons/drug effects , Dopaminergic Neurons/metabolism , Dopaminergic Neurons/pathology , Humans , Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/chemistry , Intrinsically Disordered Proteins/metabolism , Mice , Models, Biological , Models, Molecular , Nerve Degeneration/metabolism , Nerve Degeneration/pathology , Parkinson Disease/pathology , Phagocytes/drug effects , Phagocytes/metabolism , Synapses/drug effects , Synapses/metabolism , alpha-Synuclein/chemistry , alpha-Synuclein/metabolismABSTRACT
Neuropathological evidence indicates that dopaminergic cell death in Parkinson׳s disease (PD) involves impairment of mitochondrial complex I, oxidative stress, microglial activation, and the formation of Lewy bodies. Epidemiological findings suggest that the consumption of berries rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins may reduce PD risk. In this study, we investigated whether extracts rich in anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, or other polyphenols suppress the neurotoxic effects of rotenone in a primary cell culture model of PD. Dopaminergic cell death elicited by rotenone was suppressed by extracts prepared from blueberries, grape seed, hibiscus, blackcurrant, and Chinese mulberry. Extracts rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins exhibited greater neuroprotective activity than extracts rich in other polyphenols, and a number of individual anthocyanins interfered with rotenone neurotoxicity. The blueberry and grape seed extracts rescued rotenone-induced defects in mitochondrial respiration in a dopaminergic cell line, and a purple basal extract attenuated nitrite release from microglial cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. These findings suggest that anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich botanical extracts may alleviate neurodegeneration in PD via enhancement of mitochondrial function.
