Inhibition of tau aggregation and associated cytotoxicity on neuron-like cells by calycosin.

In this study, the in vitro assembly of tau and anti-amyloidogenic properties of one naturally occurring phytoestrogen, calycosin, was investigated by spectroscopic techniques including ThT and ANS fluorescence, CD, Congo red absorbance as well as TEM analysis. Afterwards the cytotoxicity of different amyloid species against SH-SY5Y cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Fluorescence spectroscopic studies revealed that calycosin exerts its anti-amyloidogenic effects through increasing the lag time and reducing the apparent growth rate constant (k), the amount of fibrillation, and the exposure of hydrophobic regions.