Effects of different organic solvents on the structure of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">A</mml:mi> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>β</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml

The aggregation of amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) peptide, a key pathological event in Alzheimer's disease, is strongly influenced by its solvent environment. While cosolvents are often used in experimental studies, their specific role in modulating the conformational stability and aggregation propensity of Aβ42 remains poorly understood. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effects of three organic solvents-ethanol (EtOH), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and acetonitrile (ACN)-on the structural dynamics of Aβ42. Our results reveal a distinct dichotomy: EtOH and DMSO exert a stabilizing effect by promoting the α-helical content, reducing Coil formation, and extending the lifetime of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In contrast, ACN destabilizes the native state and accelerates the formation of aggregation-prone β-sheet structures. We attribute these opposing effects to the solvents' differential disruption of the peptide's hydrophobic core and their specific interactions with the protein backbone. This work elucidates the microscopic mechanisms by which solvent environment directs Aβ42 conformational sampling, with implications for understanding aggregation pathways and designing modulating agents.

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Publication Details

Journal
Physical review. E
Published
2025-11-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/6c4s-bgyx
Primary Topic
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Effects of different organic solvents on the structure of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">A</mml:mi> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>β</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml

Rongri Tan, H. Chen, Yousheng Yu, Chen Chen
Physical review. E
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
article

Effects of different organic solvents on the structure of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">A</mml:mi> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>β</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml

Rongri Tan, H. Chen, Yousheng Yu, Chen Chen
article en

Abstract

The aggregation of amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) peptide, a key pathological event in Alzheimer's disease, is strongly influenced by its solvent environment. While cosolvents are often used in experimental studies, their specific role in modulating the conformational stability and aggregation propensity of Aβ42 remains poorly understood. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effects of three organic solvents-ethanol (EtOH), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and acetonitrile (ACN)-on the structural dynamics of Aβ42. Our results reveal a distinct dichotomy: EtOH and DMSO exert a stabilizing effect by promoting the α-helical content, reducing Coil formation, and extending the lifetime of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In contrast, ACN destabilizes the native state and accelerates the formation of aggregation-prone β-sheet structures. We attribute these opposing effects to the solvents' differential disruption of the peptide's hydrophobic core and their specific interactions with the protein backbone. This work elucidates the microscopic mechanisms by which solvent environment directs Aβ42 conformational sampling, with implications for understanding aggregation pathways and designing modulating agents.

Physical review. EVol. 112(6)
Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University (CN), East China University of Technology (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 51%
Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
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