Amyloid fibrils composed of hexameric peptides attenuate neuroinflammation

Sci Transl Med. 2013 Apr 3;5(179):179ra42. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3005681.

Abstract

The amyloid-forming proteins tau, αB crystallin, and amyloid P protein are all found in lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS). Our previous work established that amyloidogenic peptides from the small heat shock protein αB crystallin (HspB5) and from amyloid β fibrils, characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, were therapeutic in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), reflecting aspects of the pathology of MS. To understand the molecular basis for the therapeutic effect, we showed a set of amyloidogenic peptides composed of six amino acids, including those from tau, amyloid β A4, major prion protein (PrP), HspB5, amylin, serum amyloid P, and insulin B chain, to be anti-inflammatory and capable of reducing serological levels of interleukin-6 and attenuating paralysis in EAE. The chaperone function of the fibrils correlates with the therapeutic outcome. Fibrils composed of tau 623-628 precipitated 49 plasma proteins, including apolipoprotein B-100, clusterin, transthyretin, and complement C3, supporting the hypothesis that the fibrils are active biological agents. Amyloid fibrils thus may provide benefit in MS and other neuroinflammatory disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Biotinylation / drug effects
  • Blood Proteins / metabolism
  • Chemical Precipitation
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / blood
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / complications
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Inflammation / blood
  • Inflammation / complications
  • Inflammation / drug therapy*
  • Inflammation / pathology*
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nervous System / drug effects
  • Nervous System / pathology*
  • Paralysis / blood
  • Paralysis / complications
  • Paralysis / drug therapy
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Peptides / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Multimerization* / drug effects
  • Thiazoles / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Blood Proteins
  • Interleukin-6
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Peptides
  • Thiazoles
  • thioflavin T