β-Amyloid (1-40) Binding Peptide

This 20-amino-acid peptide binds to the amyloid but not the monomeric form of beta amyloid (1-40). This peptide specifically stains amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It can also act as carrier molecule. Potentially, it could deliver medicines to AD amyloid plaques and assist in imaging. Its ability to directly target reagents could allow it to deliver neuroprotective agents to make amyloid plaques less toxic or deliver of amyloid-destroying molecules and reagents to prevent amyloid plaque formation. In addition, such reagents may also be used as diagnostic tools to quantitate the extent of amyloid plaque formation in AD patients.