Lovisa Lettius

Lovisa Lettius


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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10 March 2021 in Biomolecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SJSanduni Wasana Jayaweera
Sanduni Wasana Jayaweera
SSSolmaz Golchin Surano
Solmaz Golchin Surano
NPNina Pettersson
Nina Pettersson
EOElvira Oskarsson
Elvira Oskarsson
LLLovisa Lettius
Lovisa Lettius
AOAnders Olofsson
Anders Olofsson
Amyloid-formation by the islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), produced by the β-cells in the human pancreas, has been associated with the development of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The human plasma-protein transthyretin (TTR), a well-known amyloid-inhibiting protein, is interestingly also expressed within the IAPP producing β-cells. In the present study, we have characterized the ability of TTR to interfere with IAPP amyloid-formation, both in terms of its intrinsic stability as well as with regard to the effect of TTR-stabilizing drugs. The results show that TTR can prolong the lag-phase as well as impair elongation in the course of IAPP-amyloid formation. We also show that the interfering ability correlates inversely with the thermodynamic stability of TTR, while no such correlation was observed as a function of kinetic stability. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the ability of TTR to interfere is maintained also at the low pH environment within the IAPP-containing granules of the pancreatic β-cells. However, at both neutral and low pH, the addition of TTR-stabilizing drugs partly impaired its efficacy. Taken together, these results expose mechanisms of TTR-mediated inhibition of IAPP amyloid-formation and highlights a potential therapeutic target to prevent the onset of T2DM.