title: Structure and biomedical applications of amyloid oligomer nanoparticles.
abstract: Amyloid oligomers are nonfibrillar polypeptide aggregates linked to diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Here we show that these aggregates possess a compact, quasi-crystalline architecture that presents significant nanoscale regularity. The amyloid oligomers are dynamic assemblies and are able to release their individual subunits. The small oligomeric size and spheroid shape confer diffusible characteristics, electrophoretic mobility, and the ability to enter hydrated gel matrices or cells. We finally showed that the amyloid oligomers can be labeled with both fluorescence agents and iron oxide nanoparticles and can target macrophage cells. Oligomer amyloids may provide a new biological nanomaterial for improved targeting, drug release, and medical imaging.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University , 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Senthil T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meinhardt
authors.forename: Ann-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aumüller
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leppert
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Büchele
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Knüpfer
authors.forename: Ramadurai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Jay Kant
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prell
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morgado
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ohlenschläger
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simmet
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Görlach
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fändrich
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D001704:Biopolymers
keywords: cell penetration; delivery systems; neurodegeneration; peptide assembly; protein misfolding