Structural Modulation of Human Amylin Protofilaments by Naturally Occurring Mutations

J Phys Chem B. 2018 May 31;122(21):5657-5665. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b12083. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Abstract

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), also known as amylin, is a 37-amino-acid peptide, co-secreted with insulin, and widely found in fibril form in type-2 diabetes patients. By using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we study hIAPP fibril segments (i.e., fibrillar oligomers) formed with sequences of naturally occurring variants from cat, rat, and pig, presenting different aggregation propensities. We characterize the effect of mutations on the structural dynamics of solution-formed hIAPP fibril models built from solid-state NMR data. Results from this study are in agreement with experimental observations regarding their respective relative aggregation propensities. We analyze in detail the specific structural characteristics and infer mechanisms that modulate the conformational stability of amylin fibrils. Results provide a platform for further studies and the design of new drugs that could interfere with amylin aggregation and its cytotoxicity. One particular mutation, N31K, has fibril-destabilizing properties, and could potentially improve the solubility of therapeutic amylin analogs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cats
  • Humans
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide / chemistry*
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide / genetics
  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide / metabolism
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Rats
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Solubility
  • Swine

Substances

  • Islet Amyloid Polypeptide