Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling
Aggregation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is affecting an increasing number of people. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new pharmaceutical treatments which could be used to prevent the AD symptomatology. Activity-dependent neuroprotective protei...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Pharmaceuticals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/10/1011 |
| _version_ | 1797513523042975744 |
|---|---|
| author | Ancuta-Veronica Lupaescu Cosmin Stefan Mocanu Gabi Drochioiu Catalina-Ionica Ciobanu |
| author_facet | Ancuta-Veronica Lupaescu Cosmin Stefan Mocanu Gabi Drochioiu Catalina-Ionica Ciobanu |
| author_sort | Ancuta-Veronica Lupaescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aggregation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is affecting an increasing number of people. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new pharmaceutical treatments which could be used to prevent the AD symptomatology. Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) was found to be deficient in AD, whereas NAP, an 8-amino-acid peptide (<sup>1</sup>NAPVSIPQ<sup>8</sup>) derived from ADNP, was shown to enhance cognitive function. The higher tendency of zinc ion to induce Aβ aggregation and formation of amorphous aggregates is also well-known in the scientific literature. Although zinc binding to Aβ peptides was extensively investigated, there is a shortage of knowledge regarding the relationship between NAP peptide and zinc ions. Therefore, here, we investigated the binding of zinc ions to the native NAP peptide and its analog obtained by replacing the serine residue in the NAP sequence with tyrosine (<sup>1</sup>NAPVYIPQ<sup>8</sup>) at various molar ratios and pH values by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy (NMR). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI ToF) mass spectrometry confirmed the binding of zinc ions to NAP peptides, while the chemical shift of Asp<sup>1</sup>, observed in <sup>1</sup>H-NMR spectra, provided direct evidence for the coordinating role of zinc in the N-terminal region. In addition, molecular modeling has also contributed largely to our understanding of Zn binding to NAP peptides. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:17:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f647a269b531470daeae6a615b3cc3c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8247 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:17:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceuticals |
| spelling | doaj.art-f647a269b531470daeae6a615b3cc3c12023-11-22T19:36:02ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472021-10-011410101110.3390/ph14101011Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular ModelingAncuta-Veronica Lupaescu0Cosmin Stefan Mocanu1Gabi Drochioiu2Catalina-Ionica Ciobanu3Integrated Center for Research, Development and Innovation in Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies and Distributed Systems for Fabrication and Control (MANSiD), Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, 720229 Suceava, RomaniaFaculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I, 700506 Iasi, RomaniaFaculty of Chemistry, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I, 700506 Iasi, RomaniaCERNESIM Centre, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 11 Carol I, 700506 Iasi, RomaniaAggregation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is affecting an increasing number of people. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new pharmaceutical treatments which could be used to prevent the AD symptomatology. Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) was found to be deficient in AD, whereas NAP, an 8-amino-acid peptide (<sup>1</sup>NAPVSIPQ<sup>8</sup>) derived from ADNP, was shown to enhance cognitive function. The higher tendency of zinc ion to induce Aβ aggregation and formation of amorphous aggregates is also well-known in the scientific literature. Although zinc binding to Aβ peptides was extensively investigated, there is a shortage of knowledge regarding the relationship between NAP peptide and zinc ions. Therefore, here, we investigated the binding of zinc ions to the native NAP peptide and its analog obtained by replacing the serine residue in the NAP sequence with tyrosine (<sup>1</sup>NAPVYIPQ<sup>8</sup>) at various molar ratios and pH values by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy (NMR). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI ToF) mass spectrometry confirmed the binding of zinc ions to NAP peptides, while the chemical shift of Asp<sup>1</sup>, observed in <sup>1</sup>H-NMR spectra, provided direct evidence for the coordinating role of zinc in the N-terminal region. In addition, molecular modeling has also contributed largely to our understanding of Zn binding to NAP peptides.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/10/1011NMR spectroscopyNAP-type peptidesneuroprotectionzinc bindingmolecular modelingAlzheimer’s disease |
| spellingShingle | Ancuta-Veronica Lupaescu Cosmin Stefan Mocanu Gabi Drochioiu Catalina-Ionica Ciobanu Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling Pharmaceuticals NMR spectroscopy NAP-type peptides neuroprotection zinc binding molecular modeling Alzheimer’s disease |
| title | Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling |
| title_full | Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling |
| title_fullStr | Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling |
| title_short | Zinc Binding to NAP-Type Neuroprotective Peptides: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies and Molecular Modeling |
| title_sort | zinc binding to nap type neuroprotective peptides nuclear magnetic resonance studies and molecular modeling |
| topic | NMR spectroscopy NAP-type peptides neuroprotection zinc binding molecular modeling Alzheimer’s disease |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/10/1011 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ancutaveronicalupaescu zincbindingtonaptypeneuroprotectivepeptidesnuclearmagneticresonancestudiesandmolecularmodeling AT cosminstefanmocanu zincbindingtonaptypeneuroprotectivepeptidesnuclearmagneticresonancestudiesandmolecularmodeling AT gabidrochioiu zincbindingtonaptypeneuroprotectivepeptidesnuclearmagneticresonancestudiesandmolecularmodeling AT catalinaionicaciobanu zincbindingtonaptypeneuroprotectivepeptidesnuclearmagneticresonancestudiesandmolecularmodeling |