title: Stability and cytotoxicity of crystallin amyloid nanofibrils.
abstract: Previous work has identified crystallin proteins extracted from fish eye lenses as a cheap and readily available source for the self-assembly of amyloid nanofibrils. However, before exploring potential applications, the biophysical aspects and safety of this bionanomaterial need to be assessed so as to ensure that it can be effectively and safely used. In this study, crude crystallin amyloid fibrils are shown to be stable across a wide pH range, in a number of industrially relevant solvents, at both low and high temperatures, and in the presence of proteases. Crystallin nanofibrils were compared to well characterised insulin and whey protein fibrils using Thioflavin T assays and TEM imaging. Cell cytotoxicity assays suggest no adverse impact of both mature and fragmented crystallin fibrils on cell viability of Hec-1a endometrial cells. An IR microspectroscopy study supports long-term structural integrity of crystallin nanofibrils.
authors.affiliation: Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. luigi.sasso@canterbury.ac.nz juliet.gerrard@canterbury.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Manmeet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Madhusudan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasudevamurthy
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lassé
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puskar
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valery
authors.forename: Juliet A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gerrard
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sasso
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D003459:Crystallins / Q000737:chemistry*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007328:Insulin / Q000737:chemistry; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D000067816:Whey Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D003459:Crystallins; D007328:Insulin; D012997:Solvents; D013844:Thiazoles; D000067816:Whey Proteins; C009462:thioflavin T; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases