Photo-oxygenation inhibits tau amyloid formation

Tau amyloid formation and deposition are responsible for the onset of Alzheimer's disease. In particular, the seeding activity of the tau protein plays an important role in the spreading of tau pathology via its propagation in the human brain. Here we demonstrate that catalytic photo-oxygenation markedly suppresses tau seeding activity, resulting in the inhibition of amyloid formation, both in vitro and in cultured cells. Amyloid-selective catalytic photo-oxygenation of the tau protein is a possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease, via the inhibition of tau fibril formation.