Modulation of Amyloid Protein Fibrillation by Synthetic Polymers: Recent Advances in the Context of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Protein misfolding and aggregation have attracted immense research interests due to their connection with an array of degenerative diseases including neurodegenerative disorders and non-neuropathic diseases. Inhibition or diminution of the formation of protein aggregates is considered as a potential therapeutic strategy to cure these debilitating maladies. A large number of compounds including flavonoids, surfactants, osmolytes, vitamins, nanoparticles, etc. have been explored for impeding protein aggregation process and ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders. Even though a plethora of strategies have been designed to suppress protein aggregation, the final success rate is limited due to the lack of in-depth understanding of the aggregation pathway. In this context, polymeric materials are attracting the attention of researchers owing to their multifarious applications in the field of biomedical science and technology, and their unique properties as many parameters like functionality, molecular weight, architecture, etc. can be easily manipulated to improve their efficacy as well as meet clinical requirements. This review article highlights an outline of protein misfolding and aggregation, their mechanistic pathway, the factors responsible for aggregation, and potential therapeutic strategies for the intervention of those debilitating pathological conditions. Especially, the primary focus of this review article is to delineate the obligatory role of polymeric materials on protein aggregation pathway and encourage researchers to fabricate effective polymeric materials for designing next generation antiamyloidogenic therapeutic agents.