Editorial : oligomers in amyloid-associated diseases—structural properties and toxicity

Abstract

The so-called “amyloid proteinopathies” represent a constellation of human diseases associated with the pathological formation and deposition of aberrant insoluble protein aggregates. They include neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion diseases; but may also involve organs and tissues outside the central nervous system, for instance the pancreas in type-2 diabetes mellitus. Collectively, amyloid-associated disorders affect around 50 million people each year worldwide and no cure is essentially known to stop the underlying molecular mechanisms of their origin. These conditions therefore generate significant burden on individuals, societies and healthcare budgets, and there is a burgeoning need for the rational development of effective therapeutic strategies.