4 research outputs found
Evidence of Rapid Coaggregation of Globular Proteins during Amyloid Formation
The
question of how an aggregating protein can influence aggregation
of other proteins located in its vicinity is particularly significant
because many proteins coexist in cells. We demonstrate <i>in
vitro</i> coaggregation and cross-seeding of lysozyme, bovine
serum albumin, insulin, and cytochrome <i>c</i> during their
amyloid formation. The coaggregation process seems to be more dependent
on the temperature-induced intermediate species of these proteins
and less dependent on their sequence identities. Because amyloid-linked
inclusions and plaques are recognized as multicomponent entities originating
from aggregation of the associated protein, these findings may add
new insights into the mechanistic understanding of amyloid-related
pathologies
Capsaicin-Coated Silver Nanoparticles Inhibit Amyloid Fibril Formation of Serum Albumin
We
have synthesized capsaicin-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs<sup>Cap</sup>) and have tested their anti-amyloid activity, considering
serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. We found that amyloid formation
of BSA was strongly suppressed in the presence of AgNPs<sup>Cap</sup>. However, isolated capsaicin and uncapped control nanoparticles
did not show such an inhibition effect. Bioinformatics analysis reveals
CH−π and H-bonding interactions between capsaicin and
BSA in the formation of the protein–ligand complex. These results
suggest the significance of surface functionalization of nanoparticles
with capsaicin, which probably allows capsaicin to effectively interact
with the key residues of the amyloidogenic core of BSA
Uniform, Polycrystalline, and Thermostable Piperine-Coated Gold Nanoparticles to Target Insulin Fibril Assembly
Because
the process of insulin fibril assembly is linked to a multitude
of medical problems, finding effective and biocompatible inhibitors
against such an aggregation process could be beneficial. Targeting
the aggregation-prone residues of insulin may perhaps work as an effective
strategy to prevent the onset of insulin fibril assembly. In this
work, we have synthesized uniform sized, thermostable gold nanoparticles
(AuNPs<sup>piperine</sup>) surface-functionalized with piperine to
target amyloid-prone residues of insulin. We found that the process
of both spontaneous and seed-induced amyloid formation of insulin
was strongly inhibited in the presence of AuNPs<sup>piperine</sup>. Surface functionalization of piperine was found to be critical
to its inhibition effect because no such effect was observed for free
piperine as well as for uncoated control gold nanoparticles. Fluorescence
quenching data revealed binding of AuNPs<sup>piperine</sup> with insulin’s
native structure which was further validated by docking studies that
predicted viable H-bond and CH-Ï€ interactions between piperine
and key aggregation-prone residues of insulin’s B-chain. Our
hemolysis assay studies further confirmed that these piperine coated
nanoparticles were hemocompatible. Data obtained from both experimental
and computational studies suggest that the retention of native structure
of insulin and the ability of the piperine molecule to interact with
the aggregation-prone residues of insulin are the key factors for
the inhibition mechanism. The findings of this work may help in the
development of nanoparticle-based formulations to prevent medical
problems linked to insulin aggregation
Strategically Designed Antifibrotic Gold Nanoparticles to Prevent Collagen Fibril Formation
Because uncontrolled
accumulation of collagen fibrils has been
implicated in a series of pathologies, inhibition of collagen fibril
formation has become one of the necessary strategies to target such
collagen-linked complications. The presence of hydroxyproline (<i>Hyp</i>) at the Y position in (Gly-X-Y)<sub><i>n</i></sub> sequence pattern of collagen is known to facilitate crucial
hydrophobic and hydration-linked interactions that promote collagen
fibril formation. Here, to target such <i>Hyp</i>-mediated
interactions, we have synthesized uniform, thermostable, and hemocompatible <i>Hyp</i> coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs<sup>HYP</sup>) and
have examined their inhibition effect on the fibril formation of type
I collagen. We found that collagen fibril formation is strongly suppressed
in the presence of AuNPs<sup>HYP</sup> and no such suppression effect
was observed in the presence of free <i>Hyp</i> and control
Gly-coated nanoparticles at similar concentrations. Both isothermal
titration calorimetric studies and bioinformatics analysis reveal
possible interaction between <i>Hyp</i> and (Gly-Pro-Hyp)
stretches of collagen triple-helical model peptides. Further, gold
nanoparticles coated with proline (AuNPs<sup>PRO</sup>) and tryptophan
(AuNPs<sup>TRP</sup>) also suppressed collagen fibril formation, suggesting
their ability to interfere with aromatic-proline as well as hydrophobic
interactions between collagen molecules. The <i>Hyp</i> molecules,
when surface functionalized, are predicted to interfere with the <i>Hyp</i>-mediated forces that drive collagen self-assembly, and
such inhibition effect may help in targeting collagen linked pathologies