Background and aims: In recent decades, there has been much research on the microtubule dynamics as well as on factors affecting it. According to different studies, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is thought to play an indirect role in neurodegenerative diseases through enzymatic pathways which hyperphosphorylate Tau protein and dissociate it from microtubules. In the present study, it was aimed to assess the direct effect of LPS on the structure and dynamics of tubulin polymerization in vitro.

Methods:  In this study, mouse tubulins were purified through two cycles of temperature-dependent polymerization-depolymerization. Cellulose-phosphate chromatography was used to further purify tubulins. SDS-PAGE was used to analyze the purity of the tubulins. Circular dichroism (CD), intrinsic fluorescence and turbidity assays were used to assess the changes in secondary and tertiary structures, and the dynamics of tubulin polymerization in the presence of different concentrations of LPS (5pM, 5nM, 50nM, 0.5µM and 5µM), respectively.

Results: SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed the purity of tubulins. The intrinsic fluorescence analysis and CD assay revealed the changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of tubulins in the presence of LPS. The results of turbidity assay indicated that LPS could reduce the polymerization of tubulins.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that LPS is able to change the secondary and tertiary structures of tubulin and decreases tubulin polymerization. According to our results, lipopolysaccharide in addition to an indirect effect on the microtubules stability, as well as by decreases in tubulin polymerization could result in neurodegenerative diseases specially Alzheimer's diseases.