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Biogenic metallic elements in the human brain?

Everett, James; Lermyte, Frederik; Brooks, Jake; Tjendana-Tjhin, Vindy; Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Hands-Portman, Ian; Donnelly, Jane M.; Billimoria, Kharmen; Perry, George; Zhu, Xiongwei; Sadler, Peter J.; O’Connor, Peter B.; Collingwood, Joanna F.; Telling, Neil D.

Biogenic metallic elements in the human brain? Thumbnail


Authors

Frederik Lermyte

Jake Brooks

Vindy Tjendana-Tjhin

Germán Plascencia-Villa

Ian Hands-Portman

Jane M. Donnelly

Kharmen Billimoria

George Perry

Xiongwei Zhu

Peter J. Sadler

Peter B. O’Connor

Joanna F. Collingwood



Abstract

The chemistry of copper and iron plays a critical role in normal brain function. A variety of enzymes and proteins containing positively charged Cu+, Cu2+, Fe2+, and Fe3+ control key processes, catalyzing oxidative metabolism and neurotransmitter and neuropeptide production. Here, we report the discovery of elemental (zero-oxidation state) metallic Cu0 accompanying ferromagnetic elemental Fe0 in the human brain. These nanoscale biometal deposits were identified within amyloid plaque cores isolated from Alzheimer's disease subjects, using synchrotron x-ray spectromicroscopy. The surfaces of nanodeposits of metallic copper and iron are highly reactive, with distinctly different chemical and magnetic properties from their predominant oxide counterparts. The discovery of metals in their elemental form in the brain raises new questions regarding their generation and their role in neurochemistry, neurobiology, and the etiology of neurodegenerative disease.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 22, 2021
Publication Date Jun 9, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Science Advances
Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 7
Issue 24
DOI https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf6707
Publisher URL https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/24/eabf6707/tab-article-info

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