Inhibition of amyloid fibrillation and cytotoxicity of lysozyme fibrillation products by polyphenols

An increasing number of studies conducted under in vitro and in vivo conditions, have concluded that polyphenols, compounds frequently occurring in many herbs with antioxidant properties, prevent and reverse amyloid fibril formation. However, the mechanisms by which these natural products modulate the protein aggregation process are poorly understood. Herein, a range of techniques including thioflavin T (ThT) and ANS fluorescence assays, electron microscopy and circular dichroism have been employed to determine the efficacy of rosmarinic acid (RA) and resveratrol (Res) on the inhibition/reversion of fibrillogenesis and hindering cytotoxicity induced by protofibrils and amyloid fibrils of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). Results demonstrated that both polyphenols effectively inhibit fibrillogenesis and destabilize preformed fibrils of HEWL in a concentration-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity protection on PC12 cells was also observed using the MTT assay, ROS production assay, and phase-contrast microscopy. It is suggested that the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effects of RA and Res is to prevent hydrophobic interactions between HEWL amyloidogenic prefibrillar species, although additional studies is needed to elucidate the detailed mechanisms involved. A combination of antioxidative and anti-amyloidogenic properties of these molecules may provide them with the described neuroprotective capacities.