Elevated iron in the SNpc may play a key role in Parkinson’s disease (PD) neurodegeneration since drug candidates with high iron affinity rescue PD animal models, and one candidate, deferirpone, has shown efficacy recently in a phase two clinical trial. However, strong iron chelators may perturb essential iron metabolism, and it is not yet known whether the damage associated with iron is mediated by a tightly bound (eg ferritin) or lower-affinity, labile, iron pool. Here we report the preclinical characterization of PBT434, a novel quinazolinone compound bearing a moderate affinity metal-binding motif, which is in development for Parkinsonian conditions. In vitro, PBT434 was far less potent than deferiprone or deferoxamine at lowering cellular iron levels, yet was found to inhibit iron-mediated redox activity and iron-mediated aggregation of α-synuclein, a protein that aggregates in the neuropathology. In vivo, PBT434 did not deplete tissue iron stores in normal rodents, yet prevented loss of substantia nigra pars compacta neurons (SNpc), lowered nigral α-synuclein accumulation, and rescued motor performance in mice exposed to the Parkinsonian toxins 6-OHDA and MPTP, and in a transgenic animal model (hA53T α-synuclein) of PD. These improvements were associated with reduced markers of oxidative damage, and increased levels of ferroportin (an iron exporter) and DJ-1. We conclude that compounds designed to target a pool of pathological iron that is not held in high-affinity complexes in the tissue can maintain the survival of SNpc neurons and could be disease-modifying in PD.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40478-017-0456-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Tauopathies are characterized by the pathological accumulation of the microtubule associated protein tau within the brain. We demonstrate here that a copper/zinc chaperone (PBT2, Prana Biotechnology) has rapid and profound effects in the rTg(tauP301L)4510 mouse model of tauopathy. This was evidenced by significantly improved cognition, a preservation of neurons, a decrease in tau aggregates and a decrease in other forms of "pathological" tau (including phosphorylated tau and sarkosyl-insoluble tau). Our data demonstrate that one of the primary mechanisms of action of PBT2 in this model may be driven by an interaction on the pathways responsible for the dephosphorylation of tau. Specifically, PBT2 increased protein levels of both the structural and catalytic subunits of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), decreased levels of the methyl esterase (PME1) that dampens PP2A activity, and increased levels of the prolyl isomerase (Pin1) that stimulates the dephosphorylation activity of PP2A. None of these effects were observed when the metal binding site of PBT2 was blocked. This highlights the potential utility of targeting metal ions as a novel therapeutic strategy for diseases in which tau pathology is a feature, which includes conditions such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

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Primary attachment of rhizobia to host legume roots depends on pH and is the first physical interaction during nodulation. Genome-wide insertion sequencing, luminescence-based attachment assays and proteomic analysis demonstrate primary attachment of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae 3841 to Pisum sativum (pea) roots is more complex than previously thought. In total, 115 proteins are needed for initial attachment under one or more test conditions (acid, neutral or alkaline pH), with 22 required under all conditions. These include cell-surface filamentous hemagglutinin adhesin (RL4382) and its transporter (RL4381), transmembrane protein RL2400, RL3752 (PssA, glycosyl transferase) affecting capsular polysaccharide and transcriptional regulator RL4145 (PckR). RNASeq was used to determine targets of RL4145 (PckR) and regulator RL3453. The 54 proteins required for attachment at pH 7.0 were investigated for nodulation phenotypes. Glucomannan biosynthesis protein A (GmsA) is needed at pH 6.5 and pH 7.0. Membrane proteins DgkA and ImpA are required specifically at pH 6.5, and RpoZ at pH 7.5. Sonicated cell surface fractions inhibited root attachment at alkaline pH but no overlap between proteins identified by proteomic and INseq analysis, suggests there is no single rhicadhesin needed for alkaline attachment. Our results demonstrate the complexity of primary root attachment and diversity of mechanisms involved.