过渡金属离子与神经退行性疾病

介绍过渡金属离子在神经退行性疾病中的作用和生物学意义,以及一种可能的金属作用下的神经退行性疾病致病机理。重点介绍铜离子在老年痴呆症、家族性肌萎侧索硬化症、克雅氏症等疾病的致病机理方面的作用。     

蛋白质凝聚作用在神经退行性疾病中的作用机制研究

蛋白质和RNA通过液-液相分离组装成无膜细胞器。无膜细胞器与液滴具有相似的融合性质,当浓度超过饱和浓度时,生物大分子会形成液滴,接着向凝胶态进行转化,最终形成固态凝聚体。传染性海绵状脑病、肌萎缩侧索硬化症和阿尔茨海默病等神经退行性疾病共同的病理特征是,错误折叠的蛋白质(包括朊蛋白、TDP-43和Tau蛋白)形成有毒性的寡聚体或淀粉样纤维。大量研究表明,这些蛋白质都可以发生液-液相分离形成凝聚体。本文综述了蛋白质凝聚作用在传染性海绵状脑病、TDP-43蛋白病以及 Tau蛋白病中的作用机制,重点阐述了相分离如何诱导神经退行性疾病中错误折叠朊蛋白、TDP-43和Tau蛋白形成寡聚体和淀粉样纤维,并讨论和展望了蛋白质凝聚作用与神经退行性疾病关联研究中存在的挑战和机遇。     

基于质谱的蛋白质组学技术在神经退行性疾病生物标志物研究中的应用

蛋白质组学是在整体水平上研究细胞、组织或生物体蛋白质组成及变化规律的科学.与传统的生物学研究相比,蛋白质组学具有快速、灵敏、高通量的优点.神经退行性疾病是一类由神经系统内特定神经细胞的进程性病变或丢失而导致神经功能障碍的疾病,严重危害人类健康.近年来,基于质谱的蛋白质组学技术在神经退行性疾病的研究中得到了广泛应用.本文简要介绍了蛋白质组学在样品分离、多肽定量、质谱检测及生物标志物临床验证等方面的技术发展,并结合实例综述了基于质谱的蛋白质组学在神经退行性疾病生物标志物发现与验证中的研究进展.     

肠道菌群及其代谢产物与神经退行性疾病关系研究进展

神经退行性疾病是一种发生于中枢神经系统,具有高度致残、致死性的疾病,主要发病人群为中老年群体,目前该类疾病的发病机制尚不清楚,没有有效的治疗策略。随着我国老龄化程度的加深,神经退行性疾病对居民身体健康造成严重威胁。肠道菌群作为寄生在胃肠道中的微生物,与人体呈互利共生的关系,对生命健康起到至关重要的作用,神经退行性疾病的发展伴随着肠道菌群及其相关代谢产物的改变。文章综述了肠道菌群及其代谢产物与神经退行性疾病相互影响的机制,并探讨通过肠道菌群治疗神经退行性疾病的潜在价值,以期为神经退行性疾病的治疗提供新的研究方向。     

神经生物系统中的配位化学问题*

从上个世纪末开始,金属离子在神经生物系统中的作用受到了广泛的关注。生物学家开始注意到一些重要生理过程中金属离子的化学及生物化学问题。本文总结了近年来在该领域的最新研究进展,并着重介绍了过渡金属离子与神经退行性疾病之间的联系。     

人参活性成分在防治神经退行性疾病中应用的研究进展

神经退行性疾病是一类由神经系统内特定神经细胞的进程性病变或丢失而导致的神经功能障碍疾病,随着全球人口的老龄化,其发病率呈明显上升趋势。目前,此类疾病的发病机制尚不明确,临床上缺乏有效的治疗措施。人参含有多种活性成分,具有十分广泛的药理功效,在治疗神经退行性疾病中表现出巨大应用潜力。本文总结归纳了人参在神经退行性疾病防治中的活性成分及检测方法;然后,概述了人参在防治神经退行性疾病中的具体药理作用;最后,对其相关机制和通路进行了总结和评述。目前已经发现的具有神经退行性疾病的预防治疗活性的化学成分种类多,但其更多的活性成分及临床应用研究仍有待进一步深入研究。     

脑神经退行性疾病中的有机化学-朊病毒(疯牛病)中的蛋白物理有机化学和自由基化学

通过关于“普里昂”蛋白病毒疾病的已有临床、医学生理、免疫和化学等方面的现象，讨论了朊病毒当中的部分蛋白氧化损伤和蛋白自由基化学本质。     

小分子细胞自噬诱导剂用于治疗神经退行性疾病

大量突变和错误折叠的蛋白质在细胞内聚集是神经退行性疾病产生的基础,研究发现一些小分子可以通过引起细胞自噬而降解细胞内聚集的突变蛋白,为治疗神经退行性疾病提供了新的方法,本文对神经退行性疾病的发病机理,细胞自噬的机理以及对神经退行性疾病的作用进行了综述。     

蛋氨酸亚砜/蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶荧光检测研究进展

蛋白质蛋氨酸亚砜化是一种重要的氧化还原依赖的蛋白质翻译后修饰,不仅是氧化应激的重要标志物之一,也是一种蛋白质功能调控开关可影响活性氧信号转导,与一系列疾病尤其是神经退行性疾病的发生发展密切相关。 在许多生物体中,蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶是目前已经发现的唯一能将蛋白质蛋氨酸亚砜还原为蛋氨酸的物质,可以修复氧化损伤蛋白,恢复蛋白质功能,调控细胞氧还平衡,对相关疾病的治疗具有非常重要的意义。 本文重点介绍蛋氨酸亚砜和蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶的结构和催化机理,综述蛋氨酸亚砜和蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶荧光探针的部分研究进展,对该领域的研究前景进行展望。     

Mn-SOD模拟物及其在神经退行性疾病中的药用前景

本文通过分析神经退行性疾病与线粒体机能障碍、自由基损伤的关系,主要讨论了Mn-SOD模拟物作为自由基清除剂对活性氧化合物的清除机理、药用优势,并总结了近年来有关Mn-SOD模拟物在神经退行性疾病防治方面的研究近况及潜在应用前景。     

Green Tea Catechins Attenuate Neurodegenerative Diseases and Cognitive Deficits

Neurodegenerative diseases exert an overwhelming socioeconomic burden all around the globe. They are mainly characterized by modified protein accumulation that might trigger various biological responses, including oxidative stress, inflammation, regulation of signaling pathways, and excitotoxicity. These disorders have been widely studied during the last decade in the hopes of developing symptom-oriented therapeutics. However, no definitive cure has yet been discovered. Tea is one of the world’s most popular beverages. The same plant, Camellia Sinensis (L.).O. Kuntze, is used to make green, black, and oolong teas. Green tea has been most thoroughly studied because of its anti-cancer, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. The beneficial effect of consumption of tea on neurodegenerative disorders has been reported in several human interventional and observational studies. The polyphenolic compounds found in green tea, known as catechins, have been demonstrated to have many therapeutic effects. They can help in preventing and, somehow, treating neurodegenerative diseases. Catechins show anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant effects via blocking cytokines’ excessive production and inflammatory pathways, as well as chelating metal ions and free radical scavenging. They may inhibit tau protein phosphorylation, amyloid beta aggregation, and release of apoptotic proteins. They can also lower alpha-synuclein levels and boost dopamine levels. All these factors have the potential to affect neurodegenerative disorders. This review will examine catechins’ neuroprotective effects by highlighting their biological, pharmacological, antioxidant, and metal chelation abilities, with a focus on their ability to activate diverse cellular pathways in the brain. This review also points out the mechanisms of catechins in various neurodegenerative and cognitive diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and cognitive deficit.     

Neuroinflammatory Markers: Key Indicators in the Pathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neuroinflammation, a protective response of the central nervous system (CNS), is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The CNS is composed of neurons and glial cells consisting of microglia, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Entry of any foreign pathogen activates the glial cells (astrocytes and microglia) and overactivation of these cells triggers the release of various neuroinflammatory markers (NMs), such as the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-1β (IL-10), nitric oxide (NO), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), among others. Various studies have shown the role of neuroinflammatory markers in the occurrence, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. These markers also trigger the formation of various other factors responsible for causing several neuronal diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), ischemia, and several others. This comprehensive review aims to reveal the mechanism of neuroinflammatory markers (NMs), which could cause different neurodegenerative disorders. Important NMs may represent pathophysiologic processes leading to the generation of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, various molecular alterations related to neurodegenerative diseases are discussed. Identifying these NMs may assist in the early diagnosis and detection of therapeutic targets for treating various neurodegenerative diseases.     

铜锌超氧化物歧化酶的突变与神经退行性紊乱的生物无机化学

本文简单介绍了铜锌超氧化物歧化酶的结构、功能及其相互关系,较为详细地讨论了与神经退行性紊乱,尤其是与肌萎性脊髓侧索硬化症有关的铜锌超氧化物歧化酶突变体的生物无机化学的研究进展,提出由该酶突变而引起的蛋白质局部结构变化和金属离子缺失,以及由此导致的氧化损伤和聚集作用可能是导致神经退行性紊乱的主要原因之一.     

Histidine‐Rich Oligopeptides To Lessen Copper‐Mediated Amyloid‐β Toxicity

Brain copper imbalance plays an important role in amyloid‐β aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and neurotoxicity observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the administration of biocompatible metal‐binding agents may offer a potential therapeutic solution to target mislocalized copper ions and restore metallostasis. Histidine‐containing peptides and proteins are excellent metal binders and are found in many natural systems. The design of short peptides showing optimal binding properties represents a promising approach to capture and redistribute mislocalized metal ions, mainly due to their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, and the possibility of fine‐tuning their metal‐binding affinities in order to suppress unwanted competitive binding with copper‐containing proteins. In the present study, three peptides, namely HWH , HK^CH , and HAH , have been designed with the objective of reducing copper toxicity in AD. These tripeptides form highly stable albumin‐like complexes, showing higher affinity for Cu^II than that of Aβ(1‐40). Furthermore, HWH , HK^CH , and HAH act as very efficient inhibitors of copper‐mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and prevent the copper‐induced overproduction of toxic oligomers in the initial steps of amyloid aggregation in the presence of Cu^II ions. These tripeptides, and more generally small peptides including the sequence His‐Xaa‐His at the N‐terminus, may therefore be considered as promising motifs for the future development of new and efficient anti‐Alzheimer drugs.     

Synthesis and Antimalarial Activities of New Hybrid Atokel Molecules

The currently spreading resistance of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum to artemisinin-based combination therapies makes an urgent need for new efficient drugs. Aiming to kill artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium, a series of novel hybrid drugs named Atokels were synthesized and characterized. Atokels are based on an 8-amino- or 8-hydroxyquinoline entity covalently bound to a 1,4-naphthoquinone through a polyamine linker. These drugs have been designed to target the parasite mitochondrion by their naphthoquinone moiety reminiscent of the antimalarial drug atovaquone, and to trigger a damaging oxidative stress due to their ability to chelate metal ions in order to generate redox active complexes in situ. The most effective Atokel drug shown a promising antimalarial activity (IC₅₀=622 nm on an artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum strain) and no cytotoxicity at 50 μm indicating a specific antiplasmodial mode of action.     

Potential of Therapeutic Small Molecules in Apoptosis Regulation in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Updated Review

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) include Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the common feature of NDs is the progressive death of specific neurons in the brain. Apoptosis is very important in developing the nervous system, nonetheless an elevated level of cell death has been observed in the case of NDs. NDs are different in terms of their neuronal vulnerability and clinical manifestations, however they have some overlapping neurodegenerative pathways. It has been demonstrated by several studies with cell lines and animal models that apoptosis has a significant contribution to make in advancing AD, ALS, HD, and PD. Numerous dying neurons were also identified in the brains of individuals with NDs and these conditions were found to be linked with substantial cell loss along with common characteristics of apoptosis including activation of caspases and cysteine-proteases, DNA fragmentation, and chromatin condensation. It has been demonstrated that several therapeutic agents including antioxidants, minocycline, GAPDH ligands, p53 inhibitors, JNK (c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase) inhibitors, glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitor, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, D2 dopamine receptor agonists, FK506, cell cycle inhibitors, statins, drugs targeting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and gene therapy have the potential to provide protection to neurons against apoptosis. Therefore, the use of these potential therapeutic agents might be beneficial in the treatment of NDs. In this review, we have summarized the pathways that are linked with apoptotic neuronal death in the case of various NDs. We have particularly focused on the therapeutic agents that have neuroprotective properties and the potential to regulate apoptosis in NDs.     

Transformation between α‐helix and β‐sheet structures of one and two polyglutamine peptides in explicit water molecules by replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations

Aggregation of polyglutamine peptides with β‐sheet structures is related to some important neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease. However, it is not clear how polyglutamine peptides form the β‐sheets and aggregate. To understand this problem, we performed all‐atom replica‐exchange molecular dynamics simulations of one and two polyglutamine peptides with 10 glutamine residues in explicit water molecules. Our results show that two polyglutamine peptides mainly formed helix or coil structures when they are separated, as in the system with one‐polyglutamine peptide. As the interpeptide distance decreases, the intrapeptide β‐sheet structure sometimes appear as an intermediate state, and finally the interpeptide β‐sheets are formed. We also find that the polyglutamine dimer tends to form the antiparallel β‐sheet conformations rather than the parallel β‐sheet, which is consistent with previous experiments and a coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

New Promising Therapeutic Avenues of Curcumin in Brain Diseases

Curcumin, the dietary polyphenol isolated from Curcuma longa (turmeric), is commonly used as an herb and spice worldwide. Because of its bio-pharmacological effects curcumin is also called “spice of life”, in fact it is recognized that curcumin possesses important proprieties such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antiproliferative, anti-tumoral, and anti-aging. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Diseases, Parkinson’s Diseases, and Multiple Sclerosis are a group of diseases characterized by a progressive loss of brain structure and function due to neuronal death; at present there is no effective treatment to cure these diseases. The protective effect of curcumin against some neurodegenerative diseases has been proven by in vivo and in vitro studies. The current review highlights the latest findings on the neuroprotective effects of curcumin, its bioavailability, its mechanism of action and its possible application for the prevention or treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.