All - d - Enantiomeric Peptide D3 Designed for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Dynamically Interacts with Membrane-Bound Amyloid-β Precursors

J Med Chem. 2021 Nov 25;64(22):16464-16479. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00632. Epub 2021 Nov 5.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative pathology with no effective treatment known. Toxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) oligomers play a crucial role in AD pathogenesis. All-d-Enantiomeric peptide D3 and its derivatives were developed to disassemble and destroy cytotoxic Aβ aggregates. One of the D3-like compounds is approaching phase II clinical trials; however, high-resolution details of its disease-preventing or pharmacological actions are not completely clear. We demonstrate that peptide D3 stabilizing Aβ monomer dynamically interacts with the extracellular juxtamembrane region of a membrane-bound fragment of an amyloid precursor protein containing the Aβ sequence. MD simulations based on NMR measurement results suggest that D3 targets the amyloidogenic region, not compromising its α-helicity and preventing intermolecular hydrogen bonding, thus creating prerequisites for inhibition of early steps of Aβ conversion into β-conformation and its toxic oligomerization. An enhanced understanding of the D3 action molecular mechanism facilitates development of effective AD treatment and prevention strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry*
  • Oligopeptides / metabolism
  • Oligopeptides / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Binding
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • APP protein, human
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • D3 peptide
  • Oligopeptides