Linnaeite Mineral for NIR Light-Triggered Disruption of Alzheimer’s Pore-Forming Aβ Oligomers

Minerals in the Earth's crust have contributed to the natural functioning of ecosystems via biogeochemical interactions. Linnaeite is a cobalt sulfide mineral with a cubic spinel structure that promotes charge transfer reactions with its surroundings. Here we report the hidden feature of linnaeite mineral to dissociate Alzheimer's β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the abnormal accumulation of self-assembled Aβ peptides in the elderly brain. The β-sheet structured pore-forming Aβ oligomer (βPFO) is the most neurotoxic species exacerbating the symptoms of AD. However, a therapeutic agent that is capable of inactivating βPFO has not yet been developed. Our microscopic and spectroscopic analysis results have revealed that NIR-excited linnaeite mineral can modulate the structure of βPFO by inducing oxidative modifications. We have verified that linnaeite mineral is biocompatible with and has a mitigating effect on the neurotoxicity of βPFO. This study suggests that minerals in nature have potential as drugs to reduce AD pathology.