Nitin K. Pandey

Fibrillation in Human Serum Albumin Is Enhanced in the Presence of Copper(II)

The aggregation process in proteins is governed by several factors such as temperature, pH, presence of electrolytes, denaturants, and metal ions. Here, we report the role of Cu(II) in inducing rapid fibrillation in human serum albumin. We have monitored this process via UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, zeta-potential measurements, electron paramagnetic resonance studies, fluorescence microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Images show a fibrillar network of human serum albumin in the presence of Cu(II) in 60% ethanol incubated at 65 degrees C at physiological pH. All other studies also support the enhanced fibrillation in presence of Cu(II).

(-)-Epicatechin gallate prevents alkali-salt mediated fibrillogenesis of hen egg white lysozyme.

Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) are found to be potent inhibitors of amyloid fibril formation. We report the effective inhibitory property of (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) during the alkali-salt induced fibrillogenesis of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) at 37 °C. Spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence, circular dichroism and microscopic images show that (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) show moderate inhibition of fibrillation with ECG as the most potent polyphenol. Aromatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, the radical scavenging activity and autoxidation of polyphenols are likely to be the major reasons for ECG being the most effective inhibitor.

Prolonged Glycation of Hen Egg White Lysozyme Generates Non Amyloidal Structures

Glycation causes severe damage to protein structure that could lead to amyloid formation in special cases. Here in this report, we have shown for the first time that hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) does not undergo amyloid formation even after prolonged glycation in the presence of D-glucose, D-fructose and D-ribose. Cross-linked oligomers were formed in all the cases and ribose was found to be the most potent among the three sugars. Ribose mediated oligomers, however, exhibit Thioflavin T binding properties although microscopic images clearly show amorphous and globular morphology of the aggregates. Our study demonstrates that the structural damage of hen egg white lysozyme due to glycation generates unstructured aggregates.

Effect of surfactants on preformed fibrils of human serum albumin

The central reason behind pathogenesis of various neurological disorders is usually attributed to the accumulation of aggregated proteins particularly in fibrillar morphology in vivo. One of the plausible remedial treatments for such disorders may be to identify molecules which are capable of either preventing formation of fibrils or disintegrating formed fibrils. The effect of cationic surfactants cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in vitro toward mature HSA fibrils has been investigated. The process has been monitored using ThT fluorescence, FTIR, circular dichroism, fluorescence microscopy and HRTEM. It was observed that the micelles of cationic surfactants were able to effectively disrupt the HSA fibrils, among which CTAB was found to be the most potent.

Fibrillation of hen egg white lysozyme triggers reduction of copper(II)

Copper is known to exert diverse effects on the self-association of proteins and has been found in amyloid deposits that are involved in neurodegenerative disease processes. The effects of the metal ion on the protein during fibrillation were investigated by fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. We report for the first time, the complete reduction of Cu(II)→Cu(I) in vitro during fibrillation of hen egg white lysozyme at pH 7. This was confirmed by the lack of any signal for Cu(II) in electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and quantification of Cu(I) was achieved by a bathocuproine disulfonate based assay.

Fibrillation of human serum albumin shows nonspecific coordination on stoichiometric increment of Copper(II)

Protein aggregation is related to a series of pathological disorders the main cause of which are the fibrillar species generated during the process. Human serum albumin (HSA) undergoes rapid fibrillation in the presence of Cu(II) at pH 7.4 in 60% ethanol after 6-h incubation (∼65 °C) followed by room temperature incubation. Here, we have investigated the effect of a stoichiometric variation of Cu(II) on the self-assembly of HSA using Congo red and thioflavin T dye-binding studies, circular dichroism spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The simulation of EPR spectra suggests that with the increment in Cu(II) ion concentration, there is a change in ligand field coordination. Kinetic parameters indicate reduced cooperativity that may be related to the nonspecific coordination on increment of Cu(II) concentration. Cu(II) is also able to direct the accumulation of a large number of fibers along with a formation of dense fibrillar network which is evident from microscopic images.

Fructose restrains fibrillogenesis in human serum albumin

The endogenous deposition of protein aggregates with fibrillar morphology is known to govern the genesis of several neurodisorders. The investigation of naturally occurring small molecules which can restrict the fibrillation process can help in the design of rational therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases. We report the inhibition of HSA fibrillation in the presence of naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, ribose and sucrose with fructose being the most potent. We have characterized the inhibitory potency of the sugars, using different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.

Effect of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate on the fibrillation of human serum albumin

Human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant plasma protein in the human body is known to form fibrils under partial denaturing conditions. Natural polyphenols are known to interact with HSA and some polyphenols have been shown to be potent inhibitors of amyloid fibrillation. (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea is known to inhibit amyloid fibrillation. In this report, we have investigated the effect of EGCG on native HSA as well as on the fibrillation process of HSA from amide III band analysis of their respective visible Raman spectra. The differential role of the tryptophan (Trp214) residue present in domain II of HSA in the absence and presence of EGCG has been pointed out using fluorescence anisotropy and visible Raman spectroscopy.

Copper(II) directs formation of toxic amorphous aggregates resulting in inhibition of hen egg white lysozyme fibrillation under alkaline salt-mediated conditions

Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) adopts a molten globule-like state at high pH (~12.75) and is found to form amyloid fibrils at alkaline pH. Here, we report that Cu(II) inhibits self-association of HEWL at pH 12.75 both at 37 and 65 °C. A significant reduction in Thioflavin T fluorescence intensity, attenuation in β-sheet content and reduction in hydrophobic exposure were observed with increasing Cu(II) stoichiometry. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy suggests a 4N type of coordination pattern around Cu(II) during fibrillation. Cu(II) is also capable of altering the cytotoxicity of the proteinaceous aggregates. Fibrillar species of diverse morphology were found in the absence of Cu(II) with the generation of amorphous aggregates in the presence of Cu(II), which are more toxic compared to the fibrils alone.

Crowded milieu prevents fibrillation of hen egg white lysozyme with retention of enzymatic activity

Molten globule state plays a crucial role in the amyloidogenesis of several proteins. Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) acquires a molten globule state at alkaline pH (12.75). Our study reveals a significant inhibitory effect of high molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEG) (PEG 20000 and PEG 35000) against alkali-salt mediated fibrillation of HEWL. Native state of HEWL is stabilized in the presence of PEGs accompanied by a decrease in the β-sheet content. Enzymatic activity of HEWL is mostly retained in the presence of polyethylene glycols. The comparable hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of PEG 20000 and native HEWL is central reason to the greater inhibitory potency of PEG 20000 against HEWL fibrillation.