Mechanism of Lysophosphatidic Acid-Induced Amyloid Fibril Formation of β2-Microglobulin in Vitro under Physiological Conditions

beta(2)-microglobulin- (beta 2m-) based fibril deposition is the key symptom in dialysis-related amyloidosis. beta 2m readily forms amyloid fibrils in vitro at pH 2.5. However, it is not well understood which factors promote this process in vivo, because beta 2m cannot polymerize at neutral pH without additives even at elevated concentration. Here we show that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), an in vivo occurring lysophospholipid mediator, promotes amyloid formation under physiological conditions through a complex mechanism. In the presence of LPA, at and above its critical micelle concentration, native beta 2m became sensitive to limited proteolytic digestion, indicating increased conformational flexibility. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicates that beta 2m exhibits high affinity for LPA. Fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, as well as calorimetry, showed that LPA destabilizes the structure of monomeric beta 2m inducing a partially unfolded form. This intermediate is capable of fibril extension in a nucleation-dependent manner. Our findings also indicate that the molecular organization of fibrils formed under physiological conditions differs from that of fibrils formed at pH 2.5. Fibrils grown in the presence of LPA depolymerize very slowly in the absence of LPA; moreover, LPA stabilizes the fibrils even below its critical micelle concentration. Neither the amyloidogenic nor the fibril-stabilizing effects of LPA were mimicked by its structural and functional lysophospholipid analogues, showing its selectivity. On the basis of our findings and the observed increase in blood LPA levels in dialysis patients, we suggest that the interaction of LPA with beta 2m might contribute to the pathomechanism of dialysis-related amyloidosis.