Biology subjects

Verona, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Verona, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Extracellular chaperones modulate AL light chains fibrillar aggregation and contribute to amyloid structural heterogeneity

In AL amyloidosis, monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (LCs) aggregate as amyloid fibrils in tissues. In synergy with the intrinsic aggregation propensity of specific LC sequences, microenvironment factors may be involved in tuning the disease pathophysiology, in particular proteolytic LC remodelling and heterotypic interactions in the extracellular milieu. Accounting for extrinsic modulators is critical for understanding the phenotypic variability of AL, usually imputed mainly to the LC diversity. We investigated the effects of apolipoprotein E (allele 3, apoE3) and clusterin (CLU), two amyloid-signature proteins involved in extracellular proteostasis, on the fibrillogenesis kinetics of amyloidogenic LC fragments from patient-derived sequences, as well as on aggregate composition, fibril morphology and thermodynamic stability. We show that apoE3 and CLU act as heterotypic interactors of prefibrillar and fibrillar LCs, significantly modulating LC amyloidogenesis, with complex and non-monotypic effects that range from anti- to pro-amyloidogenic depending on their concentration and on the LCs intrinsic amyloidogenicity. ApoE3 and CLU also influence fibril morphology, possibly by modifying protofilament association, and alter their thermodynamic properties. LC interactors may play a significant and insofar underappreciated role in the AL pathophysiology in vivo, likely contributing to phenotypic variability and structural polymorphisms and, possibly, to fibril resilience to amyloid reabsorption strategies.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2024

Influence of the Glymphatic System on α-Synuclein Propagation: Role of Aquaporin-4 and the Dystrophin-Associated Protein Complex

Propagation and aggregation of prion proteins, such as tau and -synuclein (Syn), are key pathological features of neurodegenerative diseases. Extracellular clearance pathways, such as the glymphatic system, may play a crucial role in the removal of these toxic proteins from the brain. Primarily active during sleep, this system relies on aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel expression and polarisation to astrocytic endfeet, facilitating interstitial solute clearance. Glymphatic dysfunction has recently been implicated in Parkinsons disease, however the precise mechanisms underlying the pathogenic effect of this dysfunction remain unclear. This includes how impaired glymphatic function influences Syn propagation dynamics, and the role of propagating Syn itself on glymphatic function. In this study, we used a mouse model of Syn propagation to elucidate the impact of Syn aggregation on glymphatic function, by measuring CSF-ISF exchange and assessing AQP4 and associated endfoot complex proteins in the brain over time and across different regions. Our results show that direct injection of Syn pre-formed fibrils leads to reduced expression of the AQP4 endfoot complex, but propagation of endogenous Syn induces an enhancement of glymphatic function suggesting compensatory upregulation in response to increasing endogenous Syn load. To determine the influence of glymphatic dysfunction on Syn propagation dynamics, we then employed a pharmacological approach to inhibit glymphatic function in this model. Acute glymphatic inhibition significantly reduced brain to CSF Syn clearance, and chronic treatment exacerbated Syn pathology, neurodegeneration, and motor behavioural deficits in mice. Together our findings show that Syn clearance and propagation are modulated by glymphatic function and suggest that AQP4 complex dysregulation may contribute to glymphatic impairment associated with Parkinsons diseases. Summary for the non-scientific communityThe glymphatic system clears brain waste during sleep. Lopes et al. show that -synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinsons, is cleared by this system. Using a mouse model of the disease, they suggest that aquaporin-4 water channels may impair glymphatic function, contributing to -synuclein buildup in patients brains.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Amyloid damage to islet β-cells in type 2 diabetes: hypoxia or pseudo-hypoxia?

Aggregation of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and amyloid deposition in the islets of Langerhans may significantly contribute to the multifactorial pathogenic mechanisms leading to type 2 diabetes. A direct toxic effect on {beta}-cells of oligomeric IAAP has been demonstrated in in vitro models, but the mechanism operating in vivo is still unclear. Mice models presenting amyloid deposition and glucose intolerance represent a good tool for exploring in vivo a putative mechanism of toxicity directly related to the physical expansion of the extracellular matrix by the amyloid fibrillar aggregates. Based on our hypothesis that deposition of amyloid may influence the oxygen perfusion, we have calculated that the mean distribution of oxygen partial pressure would drop by more than 50 % in the presence of amyloid deposits in the islet. This condition of hypoxia caused by the remodelling of the extracellular space may explain the metabolic abnormalities in the Langerhans islets, otherwise interpreted as pseudo-hypoxic response to IAPP oligomers.

biochemistry↗