Many globular and natively disordered proteins can convert into amyloid fibers. These fibers are associated with numerous pathologies1 as well as with normal cellular functions2,3, and frequently form during protein denaturation4,5. Inhibitors of pathological amyloid fibers could serve as leads for therapeutics, provided the inhibitors were specific enough to avoid interfering with normal processes. Here we show that computer-aided, structure-based design can yield highly specific peptide inhibitors of amyloid formation. Using known atomic structures of segments of amyloid fibers as templates, we have designed and characterized an all D-amino acid inhibitor of fibrillation of the tau protein found in Alzheimer’s disease, and a non-natural L-amino acid inhibitor of an amyloid fiber that enhances sexual transmission of HIV. Our results indicate that peptides from structure-based designs can disrupt the fibrillation of full-length proteins, including those like tau that lack fully ordered native structures.
Fibrils and oligomers are the aggregated protein agents of neuronal dysfunction in ALS diseases. Whereas we now know much about fibril architecture, atomic structures of disease-related oligomers have eluded determination. Here, we determine the corkscrew-like structure of a cytotoxic segment of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in its oligomeric state. Mutations that prevent formation of this structure eliminate cytotoxicity of the segment in isolation as well as cytotoxicity of the ALS-linked mutants of SOD1 in primary motor neurons and in a Danio rerio (zebrafish) model of ALS. Cytotoxicity assays suggest that toxicity is a property of soluble oligomers, and not large insoluble aggregates. Our work adds to evidence that the toxic oligomeric entities in protein aggregation diseases contain antiparallel, out-of-register β-sheet structures and identifies a target for structurebased therapeutics in ALS.oligomer | SOD1 | ALS
Purpose: Tumor antigen-loaded dendritic cells show promise for cancer immunotherapy.This phase I study evaluated immunization with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with mannan-MUC1 fusion protein (MFP) to treat patients with advanced malignancy. Experimental Design: Eligible patients had adenocarcinoma expressing MUC1, were of performance status 0 to 1, with no autoimmune disease. Patients underwent leukapheresis to generate dendritic cells by culture ex vivo with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 4 for 5 days. Dendritic cells were then pulsed overnight with MFP and harvested for reinjection. Patients underwent three cycles of leukapheresis and reinjection at monthly intervals. Patients with clinical benefit were able to continue with dendritic cell-MFP immunotherapy. Results: Ten patients with a range of tumor types were enrolled, with median age of 60 years (range, 33-70 years); eight patients were of performance status 0 and two of performance status 1. Dendritic cell-MFP therapy led to strong T-cell IFNg Elispot responses to the vaccine and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses at injection sites in nine patients who completed treatments. Immune responses were sustained at 1 year in monitored patients. Antibody responses were seen in three patients only and were of low titer. Side effects were grade 1 only. Two patients with clearly progressive disease (ovarian and renal carcinoma) at entry were stable after initial therapy and went on to further leukapheresis and dendritic cell-MFP immunotherapy. These two patients have now each completed over 3 years of treatment. Conclusions: Immunization produced T-cell responses in all patients with evidence of tumor stabilization in 2 of the 10 advanced cancer patients treated. These data support further clinical evaluation of this dendritic cell-MFP immunotherapy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.