Protein aggregation is the hallmark of several neurodegenerative disorders. These protein aggregation (fibrillization) disorders are also known as amyloid disorders. The mechanism of protein aggregation involves conformation switch of the native protein, oligomer formation leading to protofibrils and finally mature fibrils. Mature fibrils have long been considered as the cause of disease pathogenesis; however, recent evidences suggest oligomeric intermediates formed during fibrillization to be toxic. In this review, we have tried to address the ongoing debate for these toxic amyloid species. We did an extensive literature search and collated information from Pubmed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and Google search using various permutations and combinations of the following keywords: Neurodegeneration, amyloid disorders, protein aggregation, fibrils, oligomers, toxicity, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease. We describe different instances showing the toxicity of mature fibrils as well as oligomers in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. Distinct structural framework and morphology of amyloid oligomers suggests difference in toxic effect between oligomers and fibrils. We highlight the difference in structure and proposed toxicity pathways for fibrils and oligomers. We also highlight the evidences indicating that intermediary oligomeric species can act as potential diagnostic biomarker. Since the formation of these toxic species follow a common structural switch among various amyloid disorders, the protein aggregation events can be targeted for developing broad-range therapeutics. The therapeutic trials based on the understanding of different protein conformers (monomers, oligomers, protofibrils and fibrils) in amyloid cascade are also described.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease associated with aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) in neuronal cells and manifests as motor neuron dysfunction & muscle atrophy. The carboxyl-terminal prion-like domain of TDP-43 can aggregate in vitro into toxic β-sheet rich amyloid-like structures. So far, treatment options for ALS are very limited and Riluzole, which targets glutamate receptors, is the only but highly ineffective drug. Therefore, great interest exists in developing molecules for ALS treatment. Here, we have examined certain derivatives of acridine containing same side chains at position 4 & 5, for inhibitory potential against TDP-43 aggregation. Among several acridine derivatives examined, AIM4, which contains polar carboxyl groups in the side arms, significantly reduces TDP-43-YFP aggregation in the powerful yeast model cell and also abolishes in vitro amyloid-like aggregation of carboxyl terminal domain of TDP-43, as observed by AFM imaging. Thus, AIM4 can be a lead molecule potentiating further therapeutic research for ALS.

The present study is aimed to evaluate antifilarial activity of Xylocarpus granatum (fruit from Andaman) against human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi in vivo. The in vitro antifilarial activity has already been reported earlier for this mangrove plant which has traditionally been used against several ailments. Aqueous ethanolic crude extract, four fractions (ethyl acetate fraction, n-butanol fraction, water-soluble fraction and water-insoluble fraction) and pure molecule/s of X. granatum (fruit) were tested in vitro on adult worms and microfilariae (mf) of B. malayi and the active samples were further evaluated in vivo in B. malayi (intraperitoneally) i.p. transplanted in the jird model (Meriones unguiculatus) and Mastomys coucha subcutaneously infected with infective larvae (L3). The crude aqueous ethanolic extract was active in vitro (IC50: adult = 15.46 μg/ml; mf = 13.17 μg/ml) and demonstrated 52.8% and 62.7% adulticidal and embryostatic effect on B. malayi, respectively, in Mastomys at a dose of 5 × 50 mg/kg by oral route. The antifilarial activity was primarily localized in the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction which revealed IC50 of 8.5 and 6.9 μg/ml in adult and mf, respectively. This fraction possessed moderate adulticidal and embryostatic action in vivo in Mastomys. Out of eight pure molecules isolated from the active fraction, two compounds gedunin (IC50 = 0.239 μg/ml, CC50 = 212.5 μg/ml, SI = 889.1) and photogedunin (IC50 = 0.213 μg/ml, CC50 = 262.3 μg/ml, SI = 1231.4) at 5 × 100 mg/kg by subcutaneous route revealed excellent adulticidal efficacy resulting in to the death of 80% and 70% transplanted adult B. malayi in the peritoneal cavity of jirds respectively in addition to noticeable microfilaricidalo action on the day of autopsy. The findings reveal that the extract from the fruit X. granatum contains promising in vitro and in vivo antifilarial activity against human lymphatic filarial parasite B. malayi which could be attributed to the presence of two pure compounds gedunin and photogedunin.

Human telomerase is directly regulated by nontelomeric TRF2-G-quadruplex interactionGraphical abstract Highlights d Non-telomeric TRF2 suppresses re-activated human telomerase in glioblastoma cells d PRC2 recruitment depends on the TRF2 hTERT-Gquadruplex interaction d Clinically deleterious hTERT promoter mutations disrupt G4-TRF2 association d G4 stabilization reinstates TRF2-induced hTERT repression in patient glioblastoma