(575d) Curcumin Offers Neuroprotection by Inhibiting Amyloid-Beta Insertion Into Membranes

The lipid membrane has been shown to mediate the fibrillogenesis and toxicity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide. Several reports have linked the insertion of amyloid beta peptide into membranes as a possible mechanism of neurotoxicity. We hypothesized that small molecules capable of preventing the insertion of Aβ into membranes may ameroliate Aβ toxicity. In this study, we investigated the effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound that suppresses oxidative damage, inflammation, cognitive deficits, and amyloid accumulation, on Aβ40 induced toxicity and in Aβ40 insertion into 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (DMPG) monolayer using surface pressure insertion isotherms (and fluorescence microscopic techniques). We found that curcumin attenuates Aβ40 induced neuronal toxicity by inhibiting the insertion of Aβ into membranes possibly by interacting with membranes. Our data also demonstrated that neuroprotective action of curcumin in Aβ induced toxicity is not exclusively due to the inhibition of oligomerization.