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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Directed Assembly of Elastin-like Proteins into defined Supramolecular Structures and Cargo Encapsulation In Vitro
Published on: April 8, 2020
A molecular container providing supramolecular protection against acetylcholine hydrolysis
Yi-Long Lu1, Jing Su1, Jian-Wei Li2
1Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials of Tropical Island Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, PR China. xuwr2016@hainanu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline, often attributed to the deficiency of acetylcholine, which can undergo hydrolysis by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) within the biological milieu. Here, we report a supramolecular strategy that takes advantage of confinement effects to inhibit such a hydrolysis process, shedding some light on AD therapy. A water-soluble and bowl-shaped molecule, hexacarboxylated tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ-C6), was employed to shield acetylcholine (G1) from enzymatic degradation through host-guest binding interactions. Our study revealed highly efficient host-guest interactions with a binding ratio of 1 : 3, resulting in a significant reduction in acetylcholine hydrolysis from 91.1% to 7.4% in the presence of AChE under otherwise identical conditions. Furthermore, TBTQ-C6 showed potential for attenuating the degradation of butyrylcholine (G2) by butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The broader implications of this study extend to the potential use of molecular containers in various biochemical and pharmacological applications, opening new avenues for research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
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