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Metal ions and beta amyloid: conformational modifications and biological aspects

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Metal Ions in Neurological Systems

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Abstract

Many molecular modifications such as senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are known to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In this connection, metal dyshomeostasis has aroused great interest and considerable support in recent years as relevant pathological cofactors of neurodegeneration. It has been largely demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro that aberrant metal ion metabolism can lead to the development and/or worsening of several neurological disorders. In this chapter, we will focus recent biophysical findings on β-amyloid structural modifications triggered by metal ions and we will provide insights into the biological consequences of these phenomena.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

Aβ:

β-amyloid

BBB:

Blood–brain barrier

ESI-MS:

Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

β-APP:

β-amyloid precursor protein

τ:

τ (tau) protein

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metalloproteins Unit, Department of Biology, National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Biomedical Technologies, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Alberto Granzotto

  2. Centre for Excellence on Aging (Ce.S.I.), “G. D’Annunzio” University of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy

    Alberto Granzotto

  3. Metalloproteins Unit, Department of Biology, National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Biomedical Technologies, University of Padova, Via Colombo 3, 35121, Padova, Italy

    Paolo Zatta

Authors
  1. Alberto Granzotto
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  2. Paolo Zatta
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Correspondence to Paolo Zatta .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9, Vienna, 1060, Austria

    Wolfgang Linert

  2. Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, ul. Fryderyka Joliot Curie 14, Wroclaw, 50-383, Poland

    Henryk Kozlowski

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Granzotto, A., Zatta, P. (2012). Metal ions and beta amyloid: conformational modifications and biological aspects. In: Linert, W., Kozlowski, H. (eds) Metal Ions in Neurological Systems. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1001-0_7

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