Search

Transthyretin (TTR) has a well-established role in neuroprotection in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We have setup a drug discovery program of small-molecule compounds that act as chaperones enhancing TTR/Amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) interactions. A combination of computational drug repurposing approaches and in vitro biological assays have resulted in a set of molecules which were then screened with our in-house validated high-throughput screening ternary test. A prioritized list of chaperones was obtained and corroborated with ITC studies. Small-molecule chaperones have been discovered, among them our lead compound Iododiflunisal (IDIF), a molecule in the discovery phase; one investigational drug (luteolin); and 3 marketed drugs (sulindac, olsalazine and flufenamic), which could be directly repurposed or repositioned for clinical use. Not all TTR tetramer stabilizers behave as chaperones in vitro. These chemically diverse chaperones will be used for validating TTR as a target in vivo, and to select one repurposed drug as a candidate to enter clinical trials as AD disease-modifying drug., I. Cardoso works under the Investigator FCT Program which is financed by national funds through FCT and co-financed by ESF through HPOP, type 4.2 - Promotion of Scientific Employment. M. Alemi was a recipient of a Research Fellowship (BIM) funded by the project of Fundació La Marató de TV3 (Spain), and L. M. Santos was a recipient of a fellowship from Norte 2020. J.P. Leite acknowledges the FCT fellowship SFRH/BD/129921/2017 (Portugal). IQAC-CSIC acknowledges a contract to Ellen Y. Cotrina funded by the project of Fundació Marató de TV3 (Spain) and a contract from Ford España - Fundación Apadrina la Ciencia (Spain). The group at CIC bioGUNE also acknowledges MINECO (Spain) for funding through grant CTQ2015-64597-C2-1-P and a Juan de la Cierva contract to A. Gimeno. We thank access to ALBA (XALOC), ESRF (ID30B) and Soleil (PROXIMA 1 and 2a) synchrotrons.

Several strategies against Alzheimer disease (AD) are directed to target Aβ-peptides. The ability of transthyretin (TTR) to bind Aβ-peptides and the positive effect exerted by some TTR stabilizers for modulating the TTR-Aβ interaction have been previously studied. Herein, key structural features of the interaction between TTR and the Aβ(12-28) peptide (3), the essential recognition element of Aβ, have been unravelled by STD-NMR spectroscopy methods in solution. Molecular aspects related to the role of the TTR stabilizer iododiflunisal (IDIF, 5) on the TTR-Aβ complex have been also examined. The NMR results, assisted by molecular modeling protocols, have provided a structural model for the TTR-Aβ interaction, as well as for the ternary complex formed in the presence of IDIF. This basic structural information could be relevant for providing light on the mechanisms involved in the ameliorating effects of AD symptoms observed in AD/TTR± animal models after IDIF treatment and eventually for designing new molecules toward AD therapeutic drugs. © 2017 American Chemical Society., The work was supported by a grant from the FundacióMarató de TV3 (Neurodegenerative Diseases Call, Project Reference 20140330-31-32-33-34, http://www.ccma.cat/tv3/marato/en/ projectes-financats/2013/212/). The group at CIC bioGUNE also acknowledges MINECO (Spain) for funding through Grant CTQ2015-64597-C2-1-P and a Juan de la Cierva contract to A.G. The group at IBMC-i3S also acknowledges funding through Grant Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008-Porto Neurosciences and Neurologic Disease Research Initiative at I3S, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER). I.C. works under the Investigator FCT Program which is financed by national funds through FCT and cofinanced by ESF through HPOP, Type 4.2, Promotion of Scientific Employment. M.A. is currently a recipient of a Research Fellowship (BIM) funded by the project of FundacióMarató de TV3, Spain, and L.M.S. is currently a recipient of a fellowship from Norte 2020. IQAC-CSIC acknowledges a contract to E.Y.C. funded by the project of FundacióMaratóde TV3, Spain.