Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses
The development of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the assembly of amyloid β proteins into aggregates and the formation of extracellular senile plaques. Similar models suggest that structural misfolding and aggregation of proteins are associated with the early onset of diseases...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AIMS Press
2015-05-01
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| Series: | AIMS Molecular Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.aimspress.com/Molecular/article/218/fulltext.html |
| _version_ | 1818011885034799104 |
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| author | Yuri L. Lyubchenko |
| author_facet | Yuri L. Lyubchenko |
| author_sort | Yuri L. Lyubchenko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the assembly of amyloid β proteins into aggregates and the formation of extracellular senile plaques. Similar models suggest that structural misfolding and aggregation of proteins are associated with the early onset of diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, and other protein deposition diseases. Initially, the aggregates were structurally characterized by traditional techniques such as x-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy, and AFM. However, data regarding the structures formed during the early stages of the aggregation process were unknown. Experimental models of protein deposition diseases have demonstrated that the small oligomeric species have significant neurotoxicity. This highlights the urgent need to discover the properties of these species, to enable the development of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The oligomers exist transiently, making it impossible to use traditional structural techniques to study their characteristics. The recent implementation of single-molecule imaging and probing techniques that are capable of probing transient states have enabled the properties of these oligomers to be characterized. Additionally, powerful computational techniques capable of structurally analyzing oligomers at the atomic level advanced our understanding of the amyloid aggregation problem. This review outlines the progress in AFM experimental studies and computational analyses with a primary focus on understanding the very first stage of the aggregation process. Experimental approaches can aid in the development of novel sensitive diagnostic and preventive strategies for protein deposition diseases, and several examples of these approaches will be discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:13:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-682e852fd9054146aeb503bf892902d5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2372-0301 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:13:12Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AIMS Molecular Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-682e852fd9054146aeb503bf892902d52022-12-22T02:08:18ZengAIMS PressAIMS Molecular Science2372-03012015-05-012319021010.3934/molsci.2015.3.19020150208Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analysesYuri L. Lyubchenko0Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USAThe development of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the assembly of amyloid β proteins into aggregates and the formation of extracellular senile plaques. Similar models suggest that structural misfolding and aggregation of proteins are associated with the early onset of diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, and other protein deposition diseases. Initially, the aggregates were structurally characterized by traditional techniques such as x-ray crystallography, NMR, electron microscopy, and AFM. However, data regarding the structures formed during the early stages of the aggregation process were unknown. Experimental models of protein deposition diseases have demonstrated that the small oligomeric species have significant neurotoxicity. This highlights the urgent need to discover the properties of these species, to enable the development of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The oligomers exist transiently, making it impossible to use traditional structural techniques to study their characteristics. The recent implementation of single-molecule imaging and probing techniques that are capable of probing transient states have enabled the properties of these oligomers to be characterized. Additionally, powerful computational techniques capable of structurally analyzing oligomers at the atomic level advanced our understanding of the amyloid aggregation problem. This review outlines the progress in AFM experimental studies and computational analyses with a primary focus on understanding the very first stage of the aggregation process. Experimental approaches can aid in the development of novel sensitive diagnostic and preventive strategies for protein deposition diseases, and several examples of these approaches will be discussed.http://www.aimspress.com/Molecular/article/218/fulltext.htmlnanomedicinenanoimagingatomic force microscopyAFMforce spectroscopy;amyloidsAlzheimer's diseaseParkinson's diseaseHuntington's disease |
| spellingShingle | Yuri L. Lyubchenko Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses AIMS Molecular Science nanomedicine nanoimaging atomic force microscopy AFM force spectroscopy;amyloids Alzheimer's disease Parkinson's disease Huntington's disease |
| title | Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses |
| title_full | Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses |
| title_fullStr | Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses |
| title_short | Amyloid misfolding, aggregation, and the early onset of protein deposition diseases: insights from AFM experiments and computational analyses |
| title_sort | amyloid misfolding aggregation and the early onset of protein deposition diseases insights from afm experiments and computational analyses |
| topic | nanomedicine nanoimaging atomic force microscopy AFM force spectroscopy;amyloids Alzheimer's disease Parkinson's disease Huntington's disease |
| url | http://www.aimspress.com/Molecular/article/218/fulltext.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yurillyubchenko amyloidmisfoldingaggregationandtheearlyonsetofproteindepositiondiseasesinsightsfromafmexperimentsandcomputationalanalyses |