Disruption of amyloid aggregates by artificial ferritins

•The effect of artificial ferritins on lysozyme amyloid fibrils was considered.•Both magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin affect the size, structure and amount of amyloid fibers.•The anti-amyloid effect of artificial ferritins is due to the presence of iron.•The magnetic character of prepared ferritins does not play a significant role. Presence of protein amyloid aggregates is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease etc. The effect of magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin on the structure of lysozyme amyloid aggregates was studied using small-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy and thioflavin T fluorescence measurements. It has been shown that both magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin molecules affect the size, structure and amount of the amyloid fibrils. We assume that the anti-amyloid effect of magnetoferritin and reconstructed ferritin is due to the presence of iron in solutions but is not associated with the magnetic character of the iron oxide phases, i.e. magnetite/maghemite for magnetoferritin and ferrihydrite for ferritin.