Ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared optical properties of amyloid fibrils shed light on amyloidogenesis

Amyloid fibres attract considerable interest due to their biological role in neurodegenerative diseases and their potential as functional biomaterials. Here, we describe an intrinsic signal of amyloid fibres in the near-infrared range. When combined with their recently reported blue luminescence, it paves the way towards new blueprints for the label-free detection of amyloid deposits in in vitro and in vivo contexts. The blue luminescence allows for staining-free characterization of amyloid deposits in human samples. The near-infrared signal offers promising prospects for innovative diagnostic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases—to improve medical care and for the development of new therapies. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate direct detection of amyloid deposits within brains of living, aged mice with Alzheimer’s disease using non-invasive and contrast-agent-free imaging. Ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared optical properties of amyloids open new research avenues for amyloidosis as well as for next-generation biophotonic devices. Two optical signatures of amyloid fibres—luminescence in the blue and a near-infrared signal, which can be observed in in vitro and in vivo tissues—are reported. The findings allow for staining-free characterization of amyloid deposits in human samples and could open the door to innovative diagnostic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.