Self-Assembling Peptides Form Immune Suppressive Amyloid Fibrils Effective in Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Amyloidogenic proteins have long been linked to neurodegenerative diseases. However, amyloid fibrils composed of six amino acids are protective in an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, decrease in the number of inflammatory foci in the parenchyma and meninges of the brain and spinal cord, and amelioration of the neurological signs of EAE when amyloid fibril-forming hexapeptides are administered reveal that some fibrils provide benefit. The therapeutic activity of the amyloid fibrils arise from diverse pathways that include binding of pro-inflammatory mediators in the plasma, reduction of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels, and induction of type 1 interferon (IFN). Type 1 IFN has been used widely as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of MS and has been shown to be therapeutic in EAE with adoptive transfer of Th1 lymphocytes. However, type 1 IFN is known to exacerbate EAE with adoptive transfer of Th17 lymphocytes. Indeed, the amyloid fibril-forming peptide Tau 623-628 was therapeutic in Th1 adoptively transferred EAE, but ineffective in Th17 adoptively transferred EAE. However, the therapeutic effect of Tau 623-628 was restored in IFN-α/β receptor (IFNAR) knockout mice, indicating that other immune pathways independent of type 1 IFN induction play a role in the amelioration of EAE. Moreover, Amylin 28-33, a polar, non-ionizable peptide that does not form fibrils as rapidly as Tau 623-628, induces a small fraction of type 1 IFN compared to Tau 623-628 and is therapeutic in Th17 EAE. The diverse immunological pathways modulated by the self-assembling hexapeptides are under investigation with a goal to develop novel, safe, and potent therapeutics for neuroinflammation.