LCC CNRS

Alzheimer and amyloids : molecular basis, chelation therapy and detection

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The research group : « ALZheimer and AmylOIDs : molecular basis, chelation therapy and detection » is interested on the impact of metallic ions, mainly copper and zinc, in the amyloid cascade linked to Alzheimer disease and in other physio-pathological processes involving amyloidogenic peptides.

Three main axes are under focus :

● (i) Understanding at a molecular level of the impact of metallic ions on the aggregation properties of the peptides, i.e. on the self-assembly into β-sheet rich structures (fibrils), and on the oxidative stress. These two phenomena are indeed linked to the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease.

● (ii) Developing new concepts based on copper removal from the peptides aiming at reducing their deleterious impacts (linked to oxidative stress and peptide aggregation). Several approaches are considered : copper transport from the extra- to the intra-cellular medium, interference of zinc in copper detoxification, pro-chelator activated by oxidative stress…

● (iii) Synthesis and studies of new detection tools for the amyloids, showing selectivity versus the various morphologies of the aggregates and relying on B-F compounds and dynamic combinatorial chemistry.

In addition, a new axis aiming at using the amyloid fibrils as a biocompatible support for catalysis is currently emerging in the team as well as a topic on the oxidation of biomolecules (peptides, membranes) and their study by mass spectrometry.