Pre-amyloid oligomers budding:a metastatic mechanism of proteotoxicity

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 35865
• Main Authors: Bernini, Fabrizio, Malferrari, Daniele, Pignataro, Marcello, Bortolotti, Carlo Augusto, Di Rocco, Giulia, Lancellotti, Lidia, Brigatti, Maria Franca, Kayed, Rakez, Borsari, Marco, del Monte, Federica, Castellini, Elena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24-10-2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13/1; 14/28; 639/638/92/470/2284; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor - metabolism; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor - toxicity; Antibodies; Atomic force microscopy; Experiments; Fibers; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immunotherapy; Kinetics; Maturation; Metastases; Metastasis; Microscopy; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Migration; multidisciplinary; Pathology; Polymerization; Protein Aggregates; Protein Aggregation, Pathological; Protein Folding; Protein Multimerization; Proteins; Science; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; β-Amyloid
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep35865

The pathological hallmark of misfolded protein diseases and aging is the accumulation of proteotoxic aggregates. However, the mechanisms of proteotoxicity and the dynamic changes in fiber formation and dissemination remain unclear, preventing a cure. Here we adopted a reductionist approach and used atomic force microscopy to define the temporal and spatial changes of amyloid aggregates, their modes of dissemination and the biochemical changes that may influence their growth. We show that pre-amyloid oligomers (PAO) mature to form linear and circular protofibrils, and amyloid fibers, and those can break reforming PAO that can migrate invading neighbor structures. Simulating the effect of immunotherapy modifies the dynamics of PAO formation. Anti-fibers as well as anti-PAO antibodies fragment the amyloid fibers, however the fragmentation using anti-fibers antibodies favored the migration of PAO. In conclusion, we provide evidence for the mechanisms of misfolded protein maturation and propagation and the effects of interventions on the resolution and dissemination of amyloid pathology.