Investigation of the redox state of magnetite upon Aβ-fibril formation or proton irradiation; implication of iron redox inactivation and β-amyloidolysis

In in vitro separate compartment model of neuronal cells and extracellular iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs)-amyloid complexes. a traversing proton-induced Coulomb nanoradiator effect (CNR) was found to break up the ION-amyloid fibrils and to induce redox changes in the IONs. We found that the CNR effect caused the conversion of redox-active iron (II) into redox-inactive iron (III) as well as the disruption of the ION-amyloid fibrils without significantly damaging normal neuronal cells. Our observations suggest a non-invasive redox inactivation and beta-amyloidolyis-based therapy of neurotoxic A beta plaque involving a traversing proton Coulomb nanochelator that would not substantially impact normal neuronal cells.