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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

High-Resolution Neutron Spectroscopy to Study Picosecond-Nanosecond Dynamics of Proteins and Hydration Water
Published on: April 28, 2022
Amyloid oligomer formation probed by water proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
J H Walton1, R S Berry, F Despa
1NMR Facility and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
Abstract:
Formation of amyloid oligomers, the most toxic species of amyloids in degenerative diseases, is critically coupled to the interplay with surrounding water. The hydrophobic force driving the oligomerization causes water removal from interfaces, changing the surface-hydration properties. Here, we show that such effects alter the magnetic relaxation response of local water in ways that may enable oligomer detection. By using water proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we measured significantly longer transverse magnetic relaxation (T(2)) times in mixtures of serum and amyloidogenic Aβ(1-42) peptides versus similar concentration solutions of serum and nonamyloidogenic scrambled Aβ(42-1) peptides. Immunochemistry with oligomer-specific antibodies, electron microscopy and computer simulations demonstrated that the hyperintense magnetic signal correlates with Aβ(1-42) oligomerization. Finding early biophysical markers of the oligomerization process is crucial for guiding the development of new noninvasive imaging techniques, enabling timely diagnosis of amyloid-related diseases and pharmacological intervention.
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