Effect of curcumin on amyloid‐like aggregates generated from methionine‐oxidized apolipoprotein A‐I

Author(s): Krishnamoorthy, A; Tavoosi, N; Chan, GKL; Liu, J; Ren, G; Cavigiolio, G; Ryan, RO | Abstract: © 2017 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley a Sons Ltd. Curcumin is a polyphenolic phytonutrient that has antineurodegenerative properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-amyloidogenic properties of curcumin. Following incubation with curcumin, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I was strongly quenched. At the same time, curcumin fluorescence emission was enhanced. The fluorescence emission spectra of curcumin in the presence of amyloid-like aggregates formed by methionine-oxidized (ox) apoA-I varied, depending on whether curcumin was added before, or after, aggregate formation. The impact of curcumin on the structure of the aggregating material was revealed by the lower amount of β-structure in ox-apoA-I amyloid-like aggregates formed in the presence of curcumin, compared to aggregates formed without curcumin. However, the kinetics of ox-apoA-I amyloid-like aggregate formation was not altered by the presence of curcumin. Moreover, electron microscopy analysis detected no discernable differences in amyloid morphology when ox-apoA-I amyloid-like aggregates were formed in the presence or absence of curcumin. In conclusion, curcumin interacts with apoA-I and alters the structure of ox-apoA-I amyloid-like aggregates yet does not diminish the propensity of ox-apoA-I to form aggregates.