title: Destruction of amyloid fibrils of keratoepithelin peptides by laser irradiation coupled with amyloid-specific thioflavin T.
abstract: Mutations in keratoepithelin are associated with blinding ocular diseases, including lattice corneal dystrophy type 1 and granular corneal dystrophy type 2. These diseases are characterized by deposits of amyloid fibrils and/or granular non-amyloid aggregates in the cornea. Removing the deposits in the cornea is important for treatment. Previously, we reported the destruction of amyloid fibrils of β(2)-microglobulin K3 fragments and amyloid β by laser irradiation coupled with the binding of an amyloid-specific thioflavin T. Here, we studied the effects of this combination on the amyloid fibrils of two 22-residue fragments of keratoepithelin. The direct observation of individual amyloid fibrils was performed in real time using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Both types of amyloid fibrils were broken up by the laser irradiation, dependent on the laser power. The results suggest the laser-induced destruction of amyloid fibrils to be a useful strategy for the treatment of these corneal dystrophies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Yamadaoka 3-2, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisaku
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaji
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naiki
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goto
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000099222:betaIG-H3 Protein
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D013844:Thiazoles; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000099222:betaIG-H3 Protein; C009462:thioflavin T