Anti-Aggregating Effect of the Naturally Occurring Dipeptide Carnosine on A beta 1-42 Fibril Formation

作者:Aloisi Alessandra; Barca Amilcare; Romano Alessandro; Guerrieri Sara; Storelli Carlo; Rinaldi Rosaria*; Verri Tiziano
来源:PLos One, 2013, 8(7): e68159.
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0068159

摘要

Carnosine is an endogenous dipeptide abundant in the central nervous system, where by acting as intracellular pH buffering molecule, Zn/Cu ion chelator, antioxidant and anti-crosslinking agent, it exerts a well-recognized multi-protective homeostatic function for neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Carnosine seems to counteract proteotoxicity and protein accumulation in neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer%26apos;s Disease (AD). However, its direct impact on the dynamics of AD-related fibril formation remains uninvestigated. We considered the effects of carnosine on the formation of fibrils/aggregates of the amyloidogenic peptide fragment A beta 1-42, a major hallmark of AD injury. Atomic force microscopy and thioflavin T assays showed inhibition of A beta 1-42 fibrillogenesis in vitro and differences in the aggregation state of A beta 1-42 small pre-fibrillar structures (monomers and small oligomers) in the presence of carnosine. in silico molecular docking supported the experimental data, calculating possible conformational carnosine/A beta 1-42 interactions. Overall, our results suggest an effective role of carnosine against A beta 1-42 aggregation.

  • 出版日期2013-7-3