Facile Quantification of Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid-β Based On Aggregation-Induced Emission

A novel, facile amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide detection method was developed based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dye using a modified amyloid fibrillization-promoting peptide (AFPP) probe. The AFPP portion of the probe plays a role in accelerating Aβ fibrillization, and the AIE portion of the probe plays a role in signal emission. Since the probe molecules were uniformly dispersed in buffer solution without Aβ, the fluorescent intensity was weak. While Aβ was added to the probe solution, the aggregation of Aβ was promoted and the fluorescence was enhanced within 3 hrs. The limit of detection with this method is 4.2 nM. The limit of detection value is insufficient for the quantification of Aβ found in bodily fluids; however, the present method has the advantage of a simple “add-and-measure” procedure without the need for a high level of laboratory skills and sophisticated equipment.