Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Nat Struct Mol Biol 2017 Apr;24(4):379-86

HIV Tat protein and amyloid-beta peptide form multifibrillar structures that cause neurotoxicity.

Hategan A, Bianchet MA, Steiner J, Karnaukhova E, Masliah E, Fields A, Lee MH, Dickens AM, Haughey N, Dimitriadis EK, Nath A

Deposition of amyloid-beta plaques is increased in the brains of HIV-infected individuals, and the HIV transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein affects amyloidogenesis through several indirect mechanisms. Here, we investigated direct interactions between Tat and amyloid-beta peptide. Our in vitro studies showed that in the presence of Tat, uniform amyloid fibrils become double twisted fibrils and further form populations of thick unstructured filaments and aggregates. Specifically, Tat binding to the exterior surfaces of the Abeta fibrils increases beta-sheet formation and lateral aggregation into thick multifibrillar structures, thus producing fibers with increased rigidity and mechanical resistance. Furthermore, Tat and Abeta aggregates in complex synergistically induced neurotoxicity both in vitro and in animal models. Increased rigidity and mechanical resistance of the amyloid-beta-Tat complexes coupled with stronger adhesion due to the presence of Tat in the fibrils may account for increased damage, potentially through pore formation in membranes.