Repurposing doxycycline for synucleinopathies: remodelling of α-synuclein oligomers towards non-toxic parallel beta-sheet structured species

Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 3:7:41755. doi: 10.1038/srep41755.

Abstract

Synucleinophaties are progressive neurodegenerative disorders with no cure to date. An attractive strategy to tackle this problem is repurposing already tested safe drugs against novel targets. In this way, doxycycline prevents neurodegeneration in Parkinson models by modulating neuroinflammation. However, anti-inflammatory therapy per se is insufficient to account for neuroprotection. Herein we characterise novel targets of doxycycline describing the structural background supporting its effectiveness as a neuroprotector at subantibiotic doses. Our results show that doxycycline reshapes α-synuclein oligomers into off-pathway, high-molecular-weight species that do not evolve into fibrils. Off-pathway species present less hydrophobic surface than on-pathway oligomers and display different β-sheet structural arrangement. These structural changes affect the α-synuclein ability to destabilize biological membranes, cell viability, and formation of additional toxic species. Altogether, these mechanisms could act synergically giving novel targets for repurposing this drug.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival
  • Doxycycline / pharmacology*
  • Doxycycline / therapeutic use
  • Drug Repositioning*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Models, Molecular
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / drug therapy
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology
  • Protein Aggregates / drug effects
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation, beta-Strand
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • alpha-Synuclein / chemistry
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Protein Aggregates
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Doxycycline