Engineered polymer nanoparticles containing hydrophobic dipeptide for inhibition of amyloid-β fibrillation

Biomacromolecules. 2012 Sep 10;13(9):2662-70. doi: 10.1021/bm3011177. Epub 2012 Aug 28.

Abstract

Protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils is implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases. Engineered nanoparticles have emerged as a potential approach to alter the kinetics of protein fibrillation process. Yet, there are only a few reports describing the use of nanoparticles for inhibition of amyloid-β 40 (Aβ(40)) peptide aggregation, involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, we designed new uniform biocompatible amino-acid-based polymer nanoparticles containing hydrophobic dipeptides in the polymer side chains. The dipeptide residues were designed similarly to the hydrophobic core sequence of Aβ. Poly(N-acryloyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) (polyA-FF-ME) nanoparticles of 57 ± 6 nm were synthesized by dispersion polymerization of the monomer A-FF-ME in 2-methoxy ethanol, followed by precipitation of the obtained polymer in aqueous solution. Cell viability assay confirmed that no significant cytotoxic effect of the polyA-FF-ME nanoparticles on different human cell lines, e.g., PC-12 and SH-SY5Y, was observed. A significantly slow secondary structure transition from random coil to β-sheets during Aβ(40) fibril formation was observed in the presence of these nanoparticles, resulting in significant inhibition of Aβ(40) fibrillation kinetics. However, the polyA-FF-ME analogous nanoparticles containing the L-alanyl-L-alanine (AA) dipeptide in the polymer side groups, polyA-AA-ME nanoparticles, accelerate the Aβ(40) fibrillation kinetics. The polyA-FF-ME nanoparticles and the polyA-AA-ME nanoparticles may therefore contribute to a mechanistic understanding of the fibrillation process, leading to the development of therapeutic strategies against amyloid-related diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / chemistry
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemical synthesis*
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dipeptides / chemistry*
  • Esters
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Kinetics
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Peptide Fragments / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis*
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Phenylalanine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis*
  • Polymers / pharmacology
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Dipeptides
  • Esters
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptides
  • Polymers
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-40)
  • poly(N-acryloyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester)
  • Phenylalanine