Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen destabilizes Aβ amyloid fibrils: a molecular dynamics investigation

J Phys Chem B. 2010 Nov 25;114(46):15394-402. doi: 10.1021/jp107955v. Epub 2010 Oct 27.

Abstract

Using implicit solvent model and replica exchange molecular dynamics, we examine the propensity of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, naproxen, to interfere with Aβ fibril growth. We also compare the antiaggregation propensity of naproxen with that of ibuprofen. Naproxen's antiaggregation effect is influenced by two factors. Similar to ibuprofen, naproxen destabilizes binding of incoming Aβ peptides to the fibril due to direct competition between the ligands and the peptides for the same binding location on the fibril surface (the edge). However, in contrast to ibuprofen, naproxen binding also alters the conformational ensemble of Aβ monomers by promoting β-structure. The second factor weakens naproxen's antiaggregation effect. These findings appear to explain the experimental observations, in which naproxen binds to the Aβ fibril with higher affinity than ibuprofen, yet produces weaker antiaggregation action.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Amyloid / genetics
  • Amyloid / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / chemistry*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / chemistry*
  • Ibuprofen / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Naproxen / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Solvents / chemistry

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Solvents
  • Naproxen
  • Ibuprofen