Impact of the Flavonoid Quercetin on β-Amyloid Aggregation Revealed by Intrinsic Fluorescence
Abeer Alghamdi, David J. S. Birch, Vladislav Vyshemirsky, Olaf J. Rolinski
Abstract
We report the effects of quercetin, a flavonoid present in the human diet, on early stage beta-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation, a seminal event in Alzheimer's disease. Molecular level changes in Aβ arrangements are monitored by time-resolved emission spectral (TRES) measurements of the fluorescence of Aβ's single tyrosine intrinsic fluorophore (Tyr). The results suggest that quercetin binds β-amyloid oligomers at early stages of their aggregation, which leads to the formation of modified oligomers and hinders the creation of β-sheet structures, potentially preventing the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Topics & Concepts
FlavonoidQuercetinAmyloid (mycology)ChemistryFluorescenceBiophysicsBiochemistryBiologyPhysicsOpticsAntioxidantInorganic chemistryAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsComputational Drug Discovery MethodsNatural Antidiabetic Agents Studies