Disruption of amyloid aggregates by artificial ferritins

Abstract

Presence of protein amyloid aggregates is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease etc. The effect of magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin on the structure of lysozyme amyloid aggregates was studied using small-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy and thioflavin T fluorescence measurements. It has been shown that both magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin molecules affect the size, structure and amount of the amyloid fibrils. We assume that the anti-amyloid effect of magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin is due to the presence of iron in solutions but is not associated with the magnetic character of the iron oxide phases, i.e. magnetite/maghemite for magnetoferritin and ferrihydrite for ferritin.