Molecular interactions, structural effects, and binding affinities between silver ions (Ag⁺) and amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides.

ABSTRACT: Because silver is toxic to microbes, but not considered toxic to humans, the metal has been used as an antimicrobial agent since ancient times. Today, silver nanoparticles and colloidal silver are used for antibacterial purposes, and silver-peptide and similar complexes are being developed as therapeutic agents. Yet, the health effects of silver exposure are not fully understood, nor are the molecular details of silver-protein interactions. In Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia worldwide, amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregate to form soluble oligomers that are neurotoxic. Here, we report that monovalent silver ions (Ag⁺) bind wildtype Aβ₄₀ peptides with a binding affinity of 25 ± 12 µM in MES buffer at 20 °C. Similar binding affinities are observed for

SUBMITTER: Lakela AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11825922 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature