Interactions of pathological hallmark proteins: tubulin polymerization promoting protein/p25, beta-amyloid, and alpha-synuclein

J Biol Chem. 2011 Sep 30;286(39):34088-100. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.243907. Epub 2011 Aug 8.

Abstract

The disordered tubulin polymerization promoting protein (TPPP/p25) was found to be co-enriched in neuronal and glial inclusions with α-synuclein in Parkinson disease and multiple system atrophy, respectively; however, co-occurrence of α-synuclein with β-amyloid (Aβ) in human brain inclusions has been recently reported, suggesting the existence of mixed type pathologies that could result in obstacles in the correct diagnosis and treatment. Here we identified TPPP/p25 as an interacting partner of the soluble Aβ oligomers as major risk factors for Alzheimer disease using ProtoArray human protein microarray. The interactions of oligomeric Aβ with proteins involved in the etiology of neurological disorders were characterized by ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, pelleting experiments, and tubulin polymerization assay. We showed that the Aβ(42) tightly bound to TPPP/p25 (K(d) = 85 nm) and caused aberrant protein aggregation by inhibiting the physiologically relevant TPPP/p25-derived microtubule assembly. The pair-wise interactions of Aβ(42), α-synuclein, and tubulin were found to be relatively weak; however, these three components formed soluble ternary complex exclusively in the absence of TPPP/p25. The aggregation-facilitating activity of TPPP/p25 and its interaction with Aβ was monitored by electron microscopy with purified proteins by pelleting experiments with cell-free extracts as well as by confocal microscopy with CHO cells expressing TPPP/p25 or amyloid. The finding that the interaction of TPPP/p25 with Aβ can produce pathological-like aggregates is tightly coupled with unusual pathology of the Alzheimer disease revealed previously; that is, partial co-localization of Aβ and TPPP/p25 in the case of diffuse Lewy body disease with Alzheimer disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • CHO Cells
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Humans
  • Lewy Bodies / genetics
  • Lewy Bodies / metabolism
  • Lewy Bodies / pathology
  • Multiple System Atrophy / genetics
  • Multiple System Atrophy / metabolism
  • Multiple System Atrophy / pathology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics
  • Parkinson Disease / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology
  • Protein Array Analysis
  • Protein Binding
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Tubulin / genetics
  • Tubulin / metabolism*
  • alpha-Synuclein / genetics
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*

Substances

  • APP protein, human
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • SNCA protein, human
  • Snca protein, rat
  • TPPP protein, human
  • TPPP protein, rat
  • Tubulin
  • alpha-Synuclein