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 β-amyloidolyis-based therapy of neurotoxic Aβ plaque involving a traversing proton Coulomb nanochelator that would not substantially impact normal neuronal cells.