Insights into antiamyloidogenic properties of the green tea extract (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate toward metal-associated amyloid-β species

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Mar 5;110(10):3743-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1220326110. Epub 2013 Feb 20.

Abstract

Despite the significance of Alzheimer's disease, the link between metal-associated amyloid-β (metal-Aβ) and disease etiology remains unclear. To elucidate this relationship, chemical tools capable of specifically targeting and modulating metal-Aβ species are necessary, along with a fundamental understanding of their mechanism at the molecular level. Herein, we investigated and compared the interactions and reactivities of the green tea extract, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate [(2R,3R)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-3-yl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate; EGCG], with metal [Cu(II) and Zn(II)]-Aβ and metal-free Aβ species. We found that EGCG interacted with metal-Aβ species and formed small, unstructured Aβ aggregates more noticeably than in metal-free conditions in vitro. In addition, upon incubation with EGCG, the toxicity presented by metal-free Aβ and metal-Aβ was mitigated in living cells. To understand this reactivity at the molecular level, structural insights were obtained by ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS), 2D NMR spectroscopy, and computational methods. These studies indicated that (i) EGCG was bound to Aβ monomers and dimers, generating more compact peptide conformations than those from EGCG-untreated Aβ species; and (ii) ternary EGCG-metal-Aβ complexes were produced. Thus, we demonstrate the distinct antiamyloidogenic reactivity of EGCG toward metal-Aβ species with a structure-based mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / etiology
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Alzheimer Disease / prevention & control
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / drug effects*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / toxicity
  • Camellia sinensis / chemistry
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Catechin / chemistry
  • Catechin / pharmacology
  • Copper / chemistry
  • Copper / pharmacology
  • Copper / toxicity
  • Humans
  • Metals / chemistry*
  • Metals / pharmacology
  • Metals / toxicity
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neuroprotective Agents / chemistry
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / drug effects
  • Peptide Fragments / toxicity
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation / drug effects
  • Protein Multimerization / drug effects
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Zinc / chemistry
  • Zinc / pharmacology
  • Zinc / toxicity

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Metals
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Plant Extracts
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
  • Copper
  • Catechin
  • epigallocatechin gallate
  • Zinc