Modulating Early Stage Amyloid Aggregates by Dipeptide-Linked Perylenebisimides: Structure-Activity Relationship,...

Amyloid aggregation is observed in many neurodegenerative diseases, but the formation of final plaque seldom correlates to the disease severity. Early and intermediate structures such as soluble oligomers are considered as primary toxic species in protein misfolding diseases specifically linked to Aβ in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Two peptide-linked perylenebisimide isomers (PAPAP and APPPA) were developed to study the structure-activity relationship with a toxic Aβ oligomer in commercial Aβ as well as in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), diminish and inhibit them, and prevent them from forming toxic amyloid fibrils from an early stage. Self-aggregation of perylenebisimides enables the formation of nano/micro-objects that are used to interact with the hydrophobic regions of the peptide and direct the peptide aggregation into an "off-pathway", preventing mature fibril formation. Remarkably, one of the Ala-Phe dipeptide-linked perylenebisimide isomers (APPPA) showed a high selectivity toward an Aβ oligomer and could also cross the endothelial monolayer barrier (blood-brain barrier, BBB) more efficiently than the other derivative (PAPAP). Kinetic ThT studies and AFM imaging provided strong proof of both of the isomers being able to inhibit fibrillation of prefibrillar and oligomeric Aβ in both the commercial Aβ1-40 peptide as well as in the real human CSF sample. Further, a correlation has been built using pristine fluorescence of perylenebisimides, showing modulation and "oligo-blocking". The obtained data provides clear evidence that the mutual aggregation between the modulator and amyloid aggregate becomes predominant compared to their individual aggregation. These results reinforce the development of the structural platform design to diminish toxic oligomers, inhibit them, and prevent the formation of toxic amyloid fibrils at an early stage.