The a-type domain of protein disulfide isomerase suppresses amyloid-β aggregation and cytotoxicity

Abnormal aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and associated neurotoxicity are key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) contains four thioredoxin-like domains arranged as a, b, b', and a' from the N-terminus. The a-type domains (a and a') possess catalytic activity essential for redox regulation, while the b-type domains (b and b') are mainly involved in substrate interactions. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of PDI, an enzyme involved in protein redox control and folding, on Aβ aggregation, focusing on its distinct domains. PDI variants containing the a-type domains potently inhibited Aβ aggregation. Furthermore, an aa' variant effectively stabilized Aβ monomers and significantly reduced Aβ-induced cytotoxicity. Conversely, the b-type domains exhibited no clear inhibitory effect on Aβ aggregation. Moreover, in serum-containing medium, the b-type domains potentially hindered the anti-aggregation function of full-length PDI, possibly through interactions with other proteins. These results indicate that PDI's a-type domains play a central role in inhibiting Aβ aggregation and highlight the aa' variant as a potential candidate for novel therapeutic strategies against Alzheimer's disease.