Small organic probes as amyloid specific ligands – Past and recent molecular scaffolds

Abstract 

Molecular probes for selective staining and imaging of protein aggregates, such as amyloid, are important to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein misfolding diseases and also for obtaining an early and accurate clinical diagnosis of these disorders. Since normal immunohistochemical reagents, such as antibodies have shown limitation for identifying protein aggregates both in vitro and in vivo, small organic probes have been utilized as amyloid specific markers. In this review, past and recent molecular scaffolds that have been utilized for the development of small organic amyloid imaging agents are discussed.

Abbreviations: AFM, atomic force microscopy, TEM, transmission electron microscopy, NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance, PET, positron emission tomography, ThT, Thioflavine T, PIB, Pittsburgh Compound-B, AD, Alzheimer’s disease, SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography, LCP, luminescent conjugated polythiophene, PTAA, polythiophene acetic acid

Keywords: Protein aggregate, Amyloid, Congo red, Thioflavine T, Luminescent conjugated polythiophene