Enhanced fluorescent assignment of protein aggregates by an oligothiophene-porphyrin-based amyloid ligand

Fluorescent probes identifying protein aggregates are of great interest, as deposition of aggregated proteins is associated with many devastating diseases. Here, we report that a fluorescent amyloid ligand composed of two distinct molecular moieties, an amyloidophilic pentameric oligothiophene and a porphyrin, can be utilized for spectral and lifetime imaging assessment of recombinant Aβ 1-42 amyloid fibrils and Aβ deposits in brain tissue sections from a transgenic mouse model with Alzheimer's disease pathology. The enhanced spectral range and distinct lifetime diversity of this novel oligothiophene-porphyrin-based ligand allow a more precise assessment of heterogeneous amyloid morphology compared with the corresponding oligothiophene dye.