Human-brain ferritin studied by muon spin rotation: a pilot study. (4th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bossoni, Lucia; Grand Moursel, Laure; Bulk, Marjolein; Simon, Brecht G; Webb, Andrew; van der Weerd, Louise; Huber, Martina; Carretta, Pietro; Lascialfari, Alessandro; Oosterkamp, Tjerk H
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 29:Number 41(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-09-04
• Subjects: muon spin rotation -- nanomagnetism -- Alzheimer's disease -- ferritin; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Vaste stoffen; Vloeistoffen; Natuurkunde; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/aa80b3
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-8984

Abstract

Abstract: Muon spin rotation is employed to investigate the spin dynamics of ferritin proteins isolated from the brain of an Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient and of a healthy control, using a sample of horse-spleen ferritin as a reference. A model based on the Néel theory of superparamagnetism is developed in order to interpret the spin relaxation rate of the muons stopped by the core of the protein. Using this model, our preliminary observations show that ferritins from the healthy control are filled with a mineral compatible with ferrihydrite, while ferritins from the AD patient contain a crystalline phase with a larger magnetocrystalline anisotropy, possibly compatible with magnetite or maghemite.