Discovery of novel inhibitors of amyloid β-peptide 1-42 aggregation

J Med Chem. 2012 Nov 26;55(22):9521-30. doi: 10.1021/jm301186p. Epub 2012 Oct 22.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease, characterized by deposits of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), is the most common neurodegenerative disease, but it still lacks a specific treatment. We have discovered five chemically unrelated inhibitors of the in vitro aggregation of the Aβ17-40 peptide by screening two commercial chemical libraries. Four of them (1-4) exhibit relatively low MCCs toward HeLa cells (17-184 μM). The usefulness of compounds 1-4 to inhibit the in vivo aggregation of Aβ1-42 has been demonstrated using two fungi models, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Podospora anserina, previously transformed to express Aβ1-42. Estimated IC(50)s are around 1-2 μM. Interestingly, addition of any of the four compounds to sonicated preformed P. anserina aggregates completely inhibited the appearance of SDS-resistant oligomers. This combination of HTP in vitro screening with validation in fungi models provides an efficient way to identify novel inhibitory compounds of Aβ1-42 aggregation for subsequent testing in animal models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / pharmacology*
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Peptide Fragments / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism*
  • Podospora / drug effects*
  • Protein Multimerization / drug effects*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / drug effects*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Peptide Fragments
  • RNA, Messenger
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)