Many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are associated with damaged neurological tissues that arise from the occurrence of disease-specific misfolded and aggregated proteins and peptides. Molecules with specific binding properties to such aggregates are highly desired as tools for diagnostics and treatment. We have previously described how specific thiophene based oligomeric structures (Luminescent Conjugated Oligothiophenes, LCOs) can be used for the detection of premature protein fibrils preceding mature amyloids, and for the discrimination between the two main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, Ab plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Also, when using modified LCOs with specific side chains differential staining of various cell types including cancer cells was achieved.<br/>Recently the character of a tetramer oligothiophene scaffold has been altered by the introduction of functional groups with different electron donating and withdrawing effects. This resulted in the discovery of a molecule with strikingly high affinity for Alzheimer’s disease brain-derived Aβ.

Luminescent Conjugated Oligothiophenes (LCOs) for detection and characterization of disease-associated protein aggregates and cells

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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