title: Fluorine Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots as Inhibitor against hIAPP Amyloid Aggregation.
abstract: Fibrillar deposits of the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) are considered as a root of Type II diabetes mellitus. Fluorinated graphene quantum dots (FGQDs) are new carbon nanomaterials with unique physicochemical properties containing highly electronegative F atoms. Herein we report a single step synthesis method of FGQDs with an inhibitory effect on aggregation and cytotoxicity of hIAPP in vitro. Highly fluorescent and water dispersible FGQDs, less than 3 nm in size, were synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Efficient inhibition capability of FGQDs to amyloid aggregation was demonstrated. The morphologies of hIAPP aggregates were observed to change from the entangled long fibrils to short thin fibrils and amorphous aggregates in the presence of FGQDs. In thioflavin T fluorescence analysis, inhibited aggregation with prolonged lag time and reduced fluorescence intensity at equilibrium were observed when hIAPP was incubated together with FGQDs. Circular dichroism spectrum results reveal that FGQDs could inhibit conformational transition of the peptide from native structure to β-sheets. FGQDs could also rescue the cytotoxicity of INS-1 cells induced by hIAPP in a dose dependent manner. This study could be beneficial for design and preparation of inhibitors for amyloids, which is important for prevention and treatment of amyloidosis.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , 19 A Yuquan Rd, Shijingshan District, Beijing, P. R. China 100049.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2164-5038
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yousaf
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , 19 A Yuquan Rd, Shijingshan District, Beijing, P. R. China 100049.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , 19 A Yuquan Rd, Shijingshan District, Beijing, P. R. China 100049.
authors.forename: Yanlian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D006108:Graphite / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D066263:Protein Aggregation, Pathological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D006108:Graphite
keywords: Fluorinated graphene quantum dots; aggregation; amyloid peptide; cell viability; hIAPP; inhibitor