Epigallocatechin-3-gallate preferentially induces aggregation of amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chains

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 27:7:41515. doi: 10.1038/srep41515.

Abstract

Antibody light chain amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by fibril formation of secreted immunoglobulin light chains (LCs). The huge variety of antibody sequences puts a serious challenge to drug discovery. The green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is known to interfere with fibril formation in general. Here we present solution- and solid-state NMR studies as well as MD simulations to characterise the interaction of EGCG with LC variable domains. We identified two distinct EGCG binding sites, both of which include a proline as an important recognition element. The binding sites were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis and solid-state NMR analysis. The EGCG-induced protein complexes are unstructured. We propose a general mechanistic model for EGCG binding to a conserved site in LCs. We find that EGCG reacts selectively with amyloidogenic mutants. This makes this compound a promising lead structure, that can handle the immense sequence variability of antibody LCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid / chemistry
  • Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Binding Sites
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Catechin / chemistry
  • Catechin / pharmacology
  • Chemical Precipitation
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / chemistry
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains / metabolism*
  • Kinetics
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Proline / metabolism
  • Protein Aggregates*
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Immunoglobulin Light Chains
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Catechin
  • Proline
  • epigallocatechin gallate