Cytotoxicity of albebetin oligomers depends on cross-beta-sheet formation.

Prefibrillar cytotoxicity was suggested as a common amyloid characteristic. We showed two types of albebetin prefibrillar oligomers are formed during incubation at pH 7.3.

Fibrillation of carrier protein albebetin and its biologically active constructs. Multiple oligomeric intermediates and pathways.

We showed that the genetically engineered carrier-protein albebetin and its biologically active constructs with interferon-alpha(2) octapeptide LKEKKYSP or differentiation factor hexapeptide TGENHR are inherently highly amyloidogenic at physiological pH. The kinetics of fibrillation were monitored by thioflavine-T (ThT) binding and the morphological changes by atomic force microscopy. Fibrillation proceeds via multiple pathways and includes a hierarchy of amyloid structures ranging from oligomers to protofilaments and fibrils.