Proteins For Neuro-Degenrative Disease Research

Biotechno Labs along with its eminent Principal Stressmarq Biosciences has developed a range of monomeric, fibrilized and oligomeric protein preparations for use in neurodegenerative disease research including alpha synuclein, beta synuclein, gamma synuclein, tau, amyloid beta, SOD1 and TTR. The goal is to supply active, pathology-inducing protein aggregates to assist scientists with disease model development and accelerate neurodegenerative disease drug discovery. In the brain, amyloid beta peptide (Aβ) is generated by protease cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP), which aggregates into oligomers, protofibrils, fibrils and ultimately plaques in neurodegenerative diseases.

The accumulation of Aβ plaques in the brain is considered a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and most of the drugs tested for AD in the past 20 years have targeted amyloid beta accumulation. Alpha Synuclein is a protein that aggregates in Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Monomers misfold and aggregate into oligomers, protofibrils, and ultimately large fibrils that can seed further aggregation. Alpha Synuclein monomers can aggregate to form a variety of oligomeric species. If aggregation continues, they form protofibrils and fibrils as found in Lewy bodies. Beta synuclein, like alpha synuclein, is found in presynaptic nerve terminals. It is believed to play a role in maintaining vesicular membrane curvature and does not aggregate under physiological conditions.

WT beta synuclein inhibits the aggregation of alpha synuclein and mutant (V70M and P123H) beta synuclein has been associated with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Human beta synuclein PFFs do not induce endogenous alpha synuclein aggregation in primary rat hippocampal neurons, meaning they could be useful as a control in alpha synuclein experiments.