Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no successful prevention or intervention. The pathological hallmark for PD involves the self-assembly of functional Alpha-Synuclein (αS) into non-functional amyloid structures. One of the potential therapeutic interventions against PD is the effective inhibition of αS aggregation. However, the bottleneck towards achieving this goal is the identification of αS domains/sequences that are essential for aggregation. Using a protein mimetic approach, we have identified αS sequences-based targets that are essential for aggregation and will have significant therapeutic implications. An extensive array of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays is utilized to validate αS sequences and their structural characteristics that are essential for aggregation and propagation of PD phenotypes. The study aids in developing significant mechanistic and therapeutic insights into various facets of αS aggregation, which will pave the way for effective treatments for PD.

We have developed a Oligopyridylamide (OP) based 2-Dimensional Fragment-Assisted Structure-based Technique (2D-FAST) to identify potent antagonists of α-Synuclein (αS) aggregation, a process central to Parkinson’s disease (PD). The 2D-FAST utilizes a fragment-based screening of large chemical space in OPs, which led to the identification of NS132 as an antagonist of the multiple facets of αS aggregation. We also identified a better cell permeability analog (NS163) without sacrificing activity. OPs rescue αS aggregation mediated PD phenotypes in muscle cells and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in C. elegans models. OPs prevent the progression of PD phenotypes in a novel post-disease onset PD model.This is one of the first examples of a synthetic mimetic-based 2D-FAST to identify antagonists of toxic αS self-assembly. We envision that 2D-FAST will have tremendous potential as it is expandable for other oligoamide scaffolds and for a much larger chemical space to identify lead therapeutics for various diseases.

We have developed a Oligopyridylamide (OP) based 2-Dimensional Fragment-Assisted Structure-based Technique (2D-FAST) to identify potent antagonists of α-Synuclein (αS) aggregation, a process central to Parkinson’s disease (PD). The 2D-FAST utilizes a fragment-based screening of large chemical space in OPs, which led to the identification of NS132 as an antagonist of the multiple facets of αS aggregation. We also identified a better cell permeability analog (NS163) without sacrificing activity. OPs rescue αS aggregation mediated PD phenotypes in muscle cells and dopaminergic (DA) neurons in C. elegans models. OPs prevent the progression of PD phenotypes in a novel post-disease onset PD model. This is one of the first examples of a synthetic mimetic-based 2D-FAST to identify antagonists of toxic αS self-assembly. We envision that 2D-FAST will have tremendous potential as it is expandable for other oligoamide scaffolds and for a much larger chemical space to identify lead therapeutics for various diseases.