title: Structural basis for the recognition and cross-linking of amyloid fibrils by human apolipoprotein E.
abstract: Apolipoprotein (apo) E is a well characterized lipid-binding protein in plasma that also exists as a common nonfibrillar component of both cerebral and systemic amyloid deposits. A genetic link between a common isoform of apoE, apoE4, and the incidence of late onset Alzheimer disease has drawn considerable attention to the potential roles of apoE in amyloid-related disease. We examined the interactions of apoE with amyloid fibrils composed of apoC-II and the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide. Aggregates of apoE with Abeta and apoC-II are found in Alzheimer and atherosclerotic plaques, respectively. Sedimentation velocity and fibril size distribution analysis showed that apoE3 and E4 isoforms bind and noncovalently cross-link apoC-II fibrils in a similar manner. This ability to cross-link apoC-II fibrils was abolished by the dissociation of the apoE tetramer to monomers or by thrombin cleavage to yield separate N- and C-terminal domains. Preparative ultracentrifuge binding studies indicated that apoE and the isolated N- and C-terminal domains of apoE bind with submicromolar affinities to both apoC-II and Abeta fibrils. Fluorescence quenching and resonance energy transfer experiments confirmed that both domains of apoE interact with apoC-II fibrils and demonstrated that the binding of the isolated N-terminal domain of apoE to apoC-II or Abeta fibrils is accompanied by a significant conformational change with helix three of the domain moving relative to helix one. We propose a model involving the interaction of apoE with patterns of aligned residues that could explain the general ability of apoE to bind to a diverse range of amyloid fibrils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Menachem J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gunzburg
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Perugini
authors.forename: Geoffrey J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Howlett
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053304:Apolipoprotein C-II / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013917:Thrombin / Q000737:chemistry; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D053304:Apolipoprotein C-II; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013917:Thrombin