Themed collection Alzheimer's Research Month 2016

Metal ions, i.e., Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺, are released from neuron terminals in the hippocampus, which plays important roles in spatial and declarative memory, and may serve as a signal factor. Aβ is bound to Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ in the extracellular compartment and forms oligomers, potentially followed by transiently cognitive decline.

This critical review focuses on one possible link between the cellular biology of lead and its neurotoxic effects: the link between Pb²⁺ substitution for Zn²⁺ in zinc-finger proteins and mental illness in adulthood.

A review of selenium's essential role in normal brain function and its potential involvement in neurodegenerative diseases.

Here we review the development and application of fluorescent sensors for studying copper in the brain.

The molecular mechanism of CeONPs in protecting against neuronal cytotoxicity from amyloid peptides and copper ions was investigated systematically by photoluminescence of [Ru(phen)₂dppz]²⁺, morphology of TEM, mass spectroscopy, cell viability assay, ROS fluorescence assay, and EPR.

The luminescence of [Ru(phen)₂dppzidzo]²⁺ has a linear response to the amounts of tau filaments. It may have a possible binding mode as depicted in the right diagram.

The main focus of this study is to mechanistically introduce a new qualitative and quantitative technique for mapping the lipid profile of a sectional brain via non-catalytic transesterification reaction (i.e., pseudo catalytic reaction in the presence of porous materials).

The use of a Cu(I) stabilizing ligand to target copper ions is a very promising approach against Alzheimer's disease.

A non-toxic hydrazone with potential anti-Alzheimer activity: this organic ligand disrupts anomalous metal–Aβ(1–40) interactions, and, thus, seems suitable as a metal-protein attenuating compound.

The English familial mutation causes the exclusion of His6 from the zinc chelation pattern and triggers the assembly of Aβ_1–16 dimers.

The present study outlines a chemical characterization and further effects beneficial to health of edible Rumex scutatus and Pseudosempervivum sempervivum.

Recent studies suggest that copper exposure, even at very low levels, can produce significant toxic effects on the brains of mice.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., as a Chinese functional food, has been widely used in neurological disorders including insomnia and Alzheimer's disease.

Combined precursor isotopic labeling and isobaric tagging (cPILOT) technique enables enhanced multiplexing quantification of S-nitrosylation in biological tissues from animal models of disease.

A report on lead and manganese in serum and erythrocytes in one of the world's largest Alzheimer's disease cohorts.

Embryonic exposure to Pb at levels as low as 10 μg L⁻¹ disturb global gene expression patterns in a sex-specific manner.

The first quantification of Pb(II) binding to MT-3 using ITC shows that lead binds more tightly than zinc to this brain-specific metallothionein.

We evaluated the cytotoxicity of iron oxide nanorhombohedra towards microglia cells, and found little to no production of either TNFα, ILIβ, NO, or reactive oxygen species.

A reliable, label-free, ion suppression-free Sirtuin 1 assay has been developed. By interfacing multi-well plates to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry by oil-segmented droplets, the assay can be applied for high throughput Sirtuin 1 modulator screening.

The graphene quantum dot-based sensor is sensitive to reaction products resulting from acetylcholinesterase activity and it allows for the determination of tacrine acting as an enzyme inhibitor.

An HPLC-ESI-MS method was developed to simultaneously quantitate seven triterpenoid saponins from X. sorbifolia.

Plant polyphenols such as the lignin honokiol pictured are able to bind to specific regions in the amyloid β oligomer and this may be associated with neuroprotective effects in neuronal cells.

Piceatannol and pterostilbene both showed protective effect against Aβ-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells, however, with different PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

A LA-ICP-MS time course study of changing metal concentrations following traumatic brain injury in mice.

Selenoproteins play important roles in antioxidant mechanisms, but it is hypothesised that single polymorphism nucleotides (SNPs) may affect their function.

Protein kinase CK2 is a pleiotropic tetrameric enzyme, regulating numerous biological processes from cell proliferation to stress response.

Prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders, and the PEP inhibitors can restore the memory loss caused by amnesic compounds.

Non-protein amino acid beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (L-BMAA) is a neurotoxin that was associated with the high incidence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Parkinson–Dementia Complex (ALS/PDC) in Guam.

Aβ samples incubated alone or with modulators were serially flowed over the two channels preimmobilized with A11 and OC antibodies, and the SPR signals reflecting the distribution of the oligomers and fibrils were determined.

Peroxovanadium complexes inhibit the fibril formation of neurodegenerative amyloid peptides by oxidizing methionine residues.

Polyozellin, a key constituent of Polyozellus multiplex, was applied to glutamate-treated HT22 cells to evaluate its neuroprotective mechanisms.

In this contribution, a rapid and selective fluorescence switchable strategy was developed for clioquinol by taking gold nanoclusters as probes and Cu²⁺ as mediator, which is applicable to determination of clioquinol in cream with satisfactory results.

The fabricated choline-biosensor exhibits excellent specific and selective recognition for selected biological molecules coexisting with interferents in a buffer system at low potential.

Human brain aging is considered to be the leading risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative alterations.

NMR based metabolomics approach was applied to study the mechanism of tacrine-induced acute hepatotoxicity and had found significant disturbances.

A novel screening system, called affinity imaging mass spectrometry (AIMS), identifies candidate small molecules with specific affinity for nanoscale structures, including proteins, in unfixed human tissue sections.

We report a graphene oxide (GO)-based fluorescent platform for selective detection of amyloid-β oligomers (AβOs) based on the strong and specific interaction between AβOs and the PrP(95–110) peptide, a segment of the cellular prion protein.

Rutin inhibited amylin aggregation, amylin-induced neurocytotoxicity, and decreased the production of ROS, NO, GSSG, malondialdehyde and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

The precise molecular mechanisms by which different peptides and proteins assemble into highly ordered amyloid deposits remain elusive.

Vitamin K₁ isomer separation on the basis of APCI/ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Novel combination of Magneto-immunocapture and on-beads fluorescent labeling of Aβ peptides for their sensitive determination in cerebro spinal fluid samples.

We report the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and inhibitory effects of extracts from Ganoderma applanatum and G. resinaceum.

Quantitative synchrotron X-ray fluorescence analysis reveals novel insights into the distribution and cellular homeostasis of metals in cultured neurons.

Egb761 attenuates zinc-induced tau hyperphosphorylation at Ser262 and inhibits GSK3beta (Ser9) phosphorylation ROS-dependently and -independently.

A first generation Pt-based polymer enzyme composite biosensor developed for real-time neurochemical monitoring was characterised in vivo for sensitive and selective detection of choline.

The aim of this research is to investigate whether edible bird's nest (EBN) attenuates cortical and hippocampal neurodegeneration in ovariectomized rats.

Fibrils formed by PrP106–126 were reversed to monomers/oligomers under the treatment of NAMI-A-like complexes. L refers to the imidazole/indazole ligand.

MicroRNAs have been recognized as novel biomarkers in many diseases including cancer and diabetes among others.

Aβ_25–35-induced neurotoxicity was ameliorated by the inhibition of the NF-κB dependent signaling pathway.

LMN diet could benefit the cognitive reserve reducing Alzheimer's disease risk.

We report a synthetically straightforward procedure that allows for stain-free TEM of amyloidogenic peptide fibres through a simple addition of a fluorinated moiety via SPPS.

In this study, ketogenic diet-induced biochemical changes occurring in normal and epileptic hippocampal formations were compared.

Novel high spatial resolution (1 × 1 μm pixel) FTIR imaging with commercial benchtop instrument yields data comparable to that from synchrotron sources.

A set of four fluorescent probes were developed and demonstrated to be capable of quantifying Cu(II) binding affinities in the micromolar to femtomolar range and exploring Cu(II) binding ligands in peptides and proteins.

Research into causes of Alzheimer's disease and its treatment has produced a tantalising array of hypotheses about the role of transition metal dyshomeostasis, many of them on the interaction of these metals with the neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ).

Soft metal ion binding enforces critical rearrangement of the structure of Bri2-23, a natural inhibitor of Aβ aggregation, thus shifting its solution behavior to a self aggregating system.

Protection of asiatic acid (AA) in mice brain against D-galactose (DG) induced aging was examined.

In this study, we have developed a simple fluorescent sensor, 7-(2′,4′-dihydroxybenzylideneimino)-4-methyl coumarin, which shows a high selectivity towards Al³⁺/Zn²⁺ over a wide range of metal ions.

The Ru(III) complex KP1019 modulates the aggregation profile of the Alzheimer's Aβ peptide and limits Aβ toxicity in the SH-SY5Y cell line.

The proposed ThT-based drug candidate series is validated as chemical tools for further in vivo development.

A flexible fluorescent probe was synthesized for the determination of Fe(III) in aqueous solution by conjugating 4-aminoacetophenone into 9-anthraldehyde.

A UPLC/QTOF MS system was used to analyze the chemical components of Kai-Xin-San, a traditional Chinese medicine.

An online microdialysis coupled with LC-MS/MS method is applied for rapid, sensitive and direct in vivo analysis.