Synthesis and evaluation of antineurotoxicity properties of an amyloid-β peptide targeting ligand containing a triamino acid

Abstract

Peptide-like compounds containing an arginine have been shown to bind and stabilize the central helix of the Alzheimer's disease related amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) in an α-helical conformation, thereby delaying its aggregation into cytotoxic species. Here we study a novel Aβ targeting ligand AEDabDab containing the triamino acid, N^γ-(2-aminoethyl)-2,4-diaminobutanoic (AEDab) acid. The new AEDab triamino acid carries an extra positive charge in the side chain and is designed to be incorporated into a ligand AEDabDab where the AEDab replaces an arginine moiety in a previously developed ligand Pep1b. This is done in order to increase the Aβ–ligand interaction, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the stability of the Aβ central helix in the presence of the AEDabDab ligand shows further stabilization of the helical conformation of Aβ compared to the previously reported Pep1b as well as compared to the AEOrnDab ligand containing an N^δ-(2-aminoethyl)-2,5-diaminopentanoic acid unit which has an additional methylene group. To evaluate the effect of the AEDabDab ligand on the Aβ neurotoxicity the AEDab triamino acid building block is synthesized by reductive alkylation of N-protected-glycinal with α-amino-protected diaminobutanoic acid, and the Aβ targeting ligand AEDabDab is prepared by solid-phase synthesis starting with attachment of glutarate to the Wang support. Replacement of the arginine residue by the AEDab triamino acid resulted in an improved capability of the ligand to prevent the Aβ_1–42 induced reduction of gamma (γ) oscillations in hippocampal slice preparation.