Metal Nanoparticles Disrupt Toxic Effects of Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease

Oxidative stress is a leading hypothesis in the central mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Plaques that form in Alzheimer's disease are rich in amyloid-beta and copper ions causing toxic effects that eventually kill cells. Researchers from Fudan University, Shanghai, and Texas A&M University published their findings in Metallomics showing that metal oxides could reduce the amount of aggregation of amyloid-beta and copper ions and increase the cell survival. Using chemical assays and microscopy techniques to probe the effects in cell cultures, the study suggests that cerium oxide nanoparticles—which are nontoxic and highly biocompatible—could be developed as a therapy to combat the effects of oxidative stress observed in Alzheimer's disease.