Interplay of salicylaldehyde, lysine, and M2+ ions on α-synuclein aggregation: cancellation of aggregation effects and determination of salicylaldehyde neurotoxicity.

In this study, α-synuclein was treated in vitro with salicylaldehyde (SA), lysine (lys) and M(n+) (Cu(2+) or Zn(2+)) in various ratios. SA induced aggregation of α-syn in the ratio of 1:500 (α-syn:SA) after incubation (pH 7.4, PBS buffer, 16-24h). Free lys can thus scavenge SA, inhibiting the aggregation of α-syn up to ∼63% (α-syn:SA:lys=1:1000:5000). When Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) are added to SA and α-syn, protein aggregation is induced. In the case of Zn(2+), the aggregation of α-syn increased to 74% (ratio=1:1000:50). Fluorescence studies support the production of protein-bound Zn(2+)-salicylaldimine species. For Cu(2+), aggregation of α-syn was shown (138%). Thus, possible protective or inducing effects of lys, Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) may exist with α-syn. α-Syn, SA and Cu(2+) can undergo complexation (fluorescence, CD and MALDI data). Cellular toxicity of SA (700μM), Zn(2+) (700μM) and Cu(2+) (700μM) on SH-SY5Y (1×10(5) cells) showed 9.8%, 38.0% and 14.4% compared to control values. Combinations showed more severe toxicities: 71.9% and 93.1% for SA (70μM)+Cu(2+) (700μM) and SA (70μM)+Zn(2+) (700μM), respectively, suggesting complexation itself may be toxic.