A Tailored HPLC Purification Protocol That Yields High-purity Amyloid Beta 42 and Amyloid Beta 40 Peptides, Capable of Oligomer Formation

Summary

Herein we report a tailored HPLC purification protocol that yields high-purity amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42) and amyloid beta 40 (Aβ40) peptides, capable of oligomer formation. Amyloid beta is a highly aggregation prone, hydrophobic peptide implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The amyloidogenic nature of the peptide makes its purification a challenge.

Abstract

Amyloidogenic peptides such as the Alzheimer's disease-implicated Amyloid beta (Aβ), can present a significant challenge when trying to obtain high purity material. Here we present a tailored HPLC purification protocol to produce high-purity amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42) and amyloid beta 40 (Aβ40) peptides. We have found that the combination of commercially available hydrophobic poly(styrene/divinylbenzene) stationary phase, polymer laboratory reverse phase - styrenedivinylbenzene (PLRP-S) under high pH conditions, enables the attainment of high purity (>95%) Aβ42 in a single chromatographic run. The purification is highly reproducible and can be amended to both semi-preparative and analytical conditions depending upon the amount of material wished to be purified. The protocol can also be applied to the Aβ40 peptide with identical success and without the need to alter the method.

Introduction

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that effects over 35 million people worldwide.¹ Implicated strongly in the onset and development of the disease, is the highly aggregation prone, hydrophobic peptide Amyloid beta (Aβ).² Aβ ranges from 36 to 43 amino acids in length, however, it is thought that the 42-amino acid variant, amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42), is the most toxic form of the protein.³ This is due in most part to the ability of Aβ42 to readily form diffusible, oligomeric species that are believed to be particularly neurotoxic entities.⁴

Protocol

1. Preparative HPLC Purification of the Aβ40 or Aβ42 Peptide

1. Prepare the following buffers for the HPLC purification.
   1. Prepare buffer A (20 mM NH₄OH) by adding 1.3 mL of NH₄OH (28% solution) to 1,000 mL of ultrapure water.
   2. Prepare buffer B (80% acetonitrile with 20 mM NH₄OH) by adding 1.3 mL of NH₄OH (28% solution) to a solution of 800 mL of HPLC-grade acetonitrile and 200 mL of ultrapure water.
   3. Prepare sample dissolution buffer (0.1% NH₄OH) by adding 100 µL of NH₄OH (28% solution) to 100 mL of ultrapure water.

Results

The purification of the Aβ42 peptide using a combination of the PLRP-S stationary phase and a high pH mobile phase results in the formation of a sharp, resolved peak for the Aβ peptide at a retention time between 72 and 74 min (Figure 2C). Confirmation of the identity of the peak is done through direct injection mass spectrometry of the collected eluent. The eluent can be stored at -20 °C in solution for up to 12 h. Longer periods of storage may result in oxidation of the.......

Discussion

The HPLC purification of the Aβ peptide is highly dependent upon the choice of both the stationary phase employed in the purification and the mobile phase chosen to elute the peptide. The low isoelectric point of the peptide and high propensity for aggregation render traditional chromatographic conditions for the separation of hydrophobic proteins (C4 or C8 stationary phase coupled with an acidic mobile eluent) challenging, with the Aβ peptide eluting as a prolonged broad, non-resolved peak (Figure 2A

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Agilent 1260 Infinity II quarternary pump	Agilent	G7111B	http://www.agilent.com/en-us/products/liquid-chromatography/lc-pumps-vacuum-degassers/1260-infinity-ii-quaternary-pump
Agilent 1260 Infinity II Dual variable wavelength detector	Agilent	G7114A	http://www.agilent.com/en-us/products/liquid-chromatography/lc-detectors/1260-infinity-ii-variable-wavelength-detector
Agilent 1260 Infinity II Manual Injector fitted with 10 mL stainless steel sample loop	Agilent	0101-1232	http://www.agilent.com/en-us/products/liquid-chromatography/lc-injection-systems/1260-infinity-ii-manual-injector
Agilent 1260 Infinity II Manual Injector fitted with 20 µL stainless steel sample loop	Agilent	G1328C	http://www.agilent.com/en-us/products/liquid-chromatography/lc-injection-systems/1260-infinity-ii-manual-injector
Ring Stand Mounting Bracket	Agilent	1400-3166
Agilent PLRP-S 300 Å 5 µm 4.6 x 250 mm (Analytical)	Agilent	PL1512-5501	http://www.agilent.com/en-us/products/liquid-chromatography/lc-columns/biomolecule-separations/plrp-s-for-biomolecules#features
Aβ42 or Aβ40 peptide			Synthesized in-house using a CEM liberty automated peptide synthesizer.
Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH, 28% solution)	Fisher Scientific	A669-500
Acetonitrile	Fisher Scientific	A998-4
HPLC grade water	Fisher Scientific	W5-4
Falcon 50 mL conical centrifuge tube	Fisher Scientific	14-954-49A
Supelco PEEK Fitting One-piece fingertight, pkg of 5 ea	Sigma-Aldrich	Z227250
Normject 5 cc sterile syringe	Fisher Scientific	1481729
16 Gauge SS Needle	Rheodyne	3725-086