Antioxidant compounds have potent anti-fibrillogenic and fibril-destabilizing effects for alpha-synuclein fibrils in vitro

J Neurochem. 2006 Apr;97(1):105-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.03707.x. Epub 2006 Mar 8.

Abstract

The aggregation of alpha-synuclein (alphaS) in the brain has been implicated as a critical step in the development of Lewy body diseases (LBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Various antioxidants not only inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid fibrils (fAbeta), but also destabilize preformed fAb in vitro. Using fluorescence spectroscopy with thioflavin S and electron microscopy, here we examined the effects of the antioxidants nordihydroguaiaretic acid, curcumin, rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid, wine-related polyphenols [tannic acid, myricetin, kaempferol (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin], docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, rifampicin and tetracycline on the formation of alphaS fibrils (falphaS) and on preformed falphaS. All molecules, except for docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, dose-dependently inhibited the formation of falphaS. Moreover, these molecules dose-dependently destabilized preformed falphaS. The overall activity of the molecules examined was in the order of: tannic acid=nordihydroguaiaretic acid=curcumin=rosmarinic acid=myricetin>kaempferol=ferulic acid>(+)-catechin=(-)-epicatechin>rifampicin=tetracycline. These compounds with anti-fibrillogenic as well as antioxidant activities could be key molecules for the development of preventives and therapeutics for LBD and MSA as well as Alzheimer's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antioxidants / chemistry*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / chemistry*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lewy Body Disease / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / chemistry*
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / drug effects
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / ultrastructure
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • alpha-Synuclein / chemistry*
  • alpha-Synuclein / drug effects
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Plant Extracts
  • alpha-Synuclein