biostudies-literatureQin WNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)6841https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12290065biostudies-literatureUnknown16(1)Disulfide bond shuffling (DBS) critically influences protein aggregation and stability, yet its spatial constraints and biological implications remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that insulin undergoes DBS within an extended spatial range up to ~19 Å, generating heterogeneous crosslinked oligomers that alter aggregation pathway. While DBS products initially delay aggregation by inhibiting primary nucleation and elongation steps, they ultimately promote the formation of distinct fibrillar structures with enhanced β-sheet content. Native ion mobility-mass spectrometry reveals molecular crosstalk between DBS products and native insulin via both covalent and non-covalent interactions. Notably, DBS-modified insulin fibrils exhibit significantly increased neurotoxicity in neuronal anNature communicationsSpatially constrained disulfide bond shuffling delays insulin aggregation and enhances neurotoxicity.PMC1229006522474062, 22293030, 22293032Li GZheng ZLiu JQin WLi RWang XYu ZHu BfalseSpatially constrained disulfide bond shuffling delays insulin aggregation and enhances neurotoxicity.Disulfide bond shuffling (DBS) critically influences protein aggregation and stability, yet its spatial constraints and biological implications remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that insulin undergoes DBS within an extended spatial range up to ~19 Å, generating heterogeneous crosslinked oligomers that alter aggregation pathway. While DBS products initially delay aggregation by inhibiting primary nucleation and elongation steps, they ultimately promote the formation of distinct fibrillar structures with enhanced β-sheet content. Native ion mobility-mass spectrometry reveals molecular crosstalk between DBS products and native insulin via both covalent and non-covalent interactions. Notably, DBS-modified insulin fibrils exhibit significantly increased neurotoxicity in neuronal an2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jul2026-07-15T12:32:19.423Z2025-08-13T03:04:47.565ZS-EPMC122900654070753910.1038/s41467-025-62257-0