Oxidized quercetin inhibits α-synuclein fibrillization

α-Synucein is a small (14 kDa), abundant, intrinsically disordered presynaptic protein, whose aggregation is believed to be a critical step in Parkinson's disease (PD). Oxidative stress is reported to be a risk factor for dopamine cell degeneration in PD. Flavonoids are suggested to be important antioxidant against oxidative stress. Flavonoids were reported to inhibit fibrillization and disaggregate the preformed fibrils of α-synucein, but the molecular mechanism was still not clear.

Quercetin, a well-recognized flavonoid antioxidant, was tested for its inhibition of α-synucein aggregation by thioflavin T assay, light scattering measurement, size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography, atomic force microscopy, etc.

The pre-incubated quercetin exhibited a noticeably stronger inhibition behavior to the fibril formation than that of the freshly prepared. The inhibition is significant in the presence of ortho- and para-benzenediol isomers and inconsiderable in the presence of meta-isomer. The oxidized quercetin species (i.e., chalcantrione, benzyfuranone, quercetinchinone, and other derivatives) cause stronger inhibition than quercetin does because of the elevated polarity and hydrophilicity. Presence of quercetin disaggregates α-synucein fibrils, rather than oligomers and amorphous aggregations.

Instead of the antioxidant activity, the 1:1 covalent binding of quercetin with α-synucein, and the increased hydophilicity of the covalently modified α-synucein oligomers or monomers, account for the inhibition of α-synucein fibrillation.

Clarification of the molecular mechanism of the inhibition and disaggregation may help to screen safer and more effective flavonoid therapeutic in combating PD.