Physical basis for the ofloxacin-induced acceleration of lysozyme aggregation and polymorphism in amyloid fibrils

•Ofloxacin, a synthetic antibiotic binds lysozyme fibrillation precursor states.•Ofloxacin binding modulates conformation of the aggregation precursor states.•Altered aggregation precursor states aggregate faster than without ofloxacin.•Ofloxacin-induced fibrils show polymorphism.

Aggregation of globular proteins is an intractable problem which generally originates from partially folded structures. The partially folded structures first collapse non-specifically and then reorganize into amyloid-like fibrils via one or more oligomeric intermediates. The fibrils and their on/off pathway intermediates may be toxic to cells and form toxic deposits in different human organs. To understand the basis of origins of the aggregation diseases, it is vital to study in details the conformational properties of the amyloidogenic partially folded structures of the protein. In this work, we examined the effects of ofloxacin, a synthetic fluoroquinolone compound on the fibrillar aggregation of hen egg-white lysozyme. Using two aggregation conditions (4M GuHCl at pH 7.0 and 37 °C; and pH 1.7 at 65 °C) and a number of biophysical techniques, we illustrate that ofloxacin accelerates fibril formation of lysozyme by binding to partially folded structures and modulating their secondary, tertiary structures and surface hydrophobicity. We also demonstrate that Ofloxacin-induced fibrils show polymorphism of morphology, tinctorial properties and hydrophobic surface exposure. This study will assist in understanding the determinant of fibril formation and it also indicates that caution should be exercised in the use of ofloxacin in patients susceptible to various aggregation diseases.

Graphical abstractSchematic representation showing the effect of ofloxacin on GuHCl-induced and acidic pH-induced fibrillation pathway of lysozyme. Red and blue arrows showed fibrillation pathways with and without ofloxacin.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (202 K)Download as PowerPoint slide