Inhibition of β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 and cholinesterases by pterosins via a specific structure-activity relationship with a strong BBB permeability

Exp Mol Med. 2019 Feb 12;51(2):1-18. doi: 10.1038/s12276-019-0205-7.

Abstract

We extracted 15 pterosin derivatives from Pteridium aquilinum that inhibited β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and cholinesterases involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). (2R)-Pterosin B inhibited BACE1, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with an IC50 of 29.6, 16.2 and 48.1 µM, respectively. The Ki values and binding energies (kcal/mol) between pterosins and BACE1, AChE, and BChE corresponded to the respective IC50 values. (2R)-Pterosin B was a noncompetitive inhibitor against human BACE1 and BChE as well as a mixed-type inhibitor against AChE, binding to the active sites of the corresponding enzymes. Molecular docking simulation of mixed-type and noncompetitive inhibitors for BACE1, AChE, and BChE indicated novel binding site-directed inhibition of the enzymes by pterosins and the structure-activity relationship. (2R)-Pterosin B exhibited a strong BBB permeability with an effective permeability (Pe) of 60.3×10-6 cm/s on PAMPA-BBB. (2R)-Pterosin B and (2R,3 R)-pteroside C significantly decreased the secretion of Aβ peptides from neuroblastoma cells that overexpressed human β-amyloid precursor protein at 500 μM. Conclusively, our study suggested that several pterosins are potential scaffolds for multitarget-directed ligands (MTDLs) for AD therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / chemistry*
  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism*
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / chemistry*
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / chemistry*
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Butyrylcholinesterase / chemistry*
  • Butyrylcholinesterase / metabolism*
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Permeability
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Ligands
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Butyrylcholinesterase
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
  • BACE1 protein, human