Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age related neurodegenerative disorder, threatens to become a major health-economic problem. Assembly of 40- or 42-residue amyloid beta-peptides (A beta) into neurotoxic oligo-/polymeric beta-sheet structures is an important pathogenic feature in AD, thus, inhibition of this process has been explored to prevent or treat AD. The C-terminal part plays an important role in A beta aggregation, but most A beta aggregation inhibitors have targeted the central region around residues 16-23. Herein, we synthesized hexapeptides with varying extents of N-methylation based on residues 32-37 of A beta to target its C-terminal region. We measured the peptides abilities to retard beta-sheet and fibril formation of A beta and to reduce A beta neurotoxicity. A penta-N-methylated peptide was more efficient than peptides with 0, 2, or 3 N-methyl groups. This penta-N-methylated peptide moreover increased life span and locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster flies overexpressing human A beta(1-42).

Published in

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
2009, Volume: 52, number: 24, pages: 8002-8009
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC

SLU Authors

• Nerelius, Charlotte

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Johansson, Jan

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Medicinal Chemistry


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jm901092h

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/48998