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Intracellular Aβ42 Aggregation Leads to Cellular Thermogenesis.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Stephens, Amberley D  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7303-6392
Konno, Tasuku 
Ward, Edward 
Avezov, Edward 

Abstract

The aggregation of Aβ42 is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. It is still not known what the biochemical changes are inside a cell which will eventually lead to Aβ42 aggregation. Thermogenesis has been associated with cellular stress, the latter of which may promote aggregation. We perform intracellular thermometry measurements using fluorescent polymeric thermometers to show that Aβ42 aggregation in live cells leads to an increase in cell-averaged temperatures. This rise in temperature is mitigated upon treatment with an aggregation inhibitor of Aβ42 and is independent of mitochondrial damage that can otherwise lead to thermogenesis. With this, we present a diagnostic assay which could be used to screen small-molecule inhibitors to amyloid proteins in physiologically relevant settings. To interpret our experimental observations and motivate the development of future models, we perform classical molecular dynamics of model Aβ peptides to examine the factors that hinder thermal dissipation. We observe that this is controlled by the presence of ions in its surrounding environment, the morphology of the amyloid peptides, and the extent of its hydrogen-bonding interactions with water. We show that aggregation and heat retention by Aβ peptides are favored under intracellular-mimicking ionic conditions, which could potentially promote thermogenesis. The latter will, in turn, trigger further nucleation events that accelerate disease progression.

Description

Funder: Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust


Funder: Infinitus China Ltd.

Keywords

Alzheimer Disease, Amyloid beta-Peptides, Humans, Peptide Fragments, Thermogenesis

Journal Title

J Am Chem Soc

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0002-7863
1520-5126

Volume Title

144

Publisher

American Chemical Society (ACS)
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/K02292X/1)
Wellcome Trust (065807/Z/01/Z)
Wellcome Trust (203249/Z/16/Z)
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