Binding of congo red and crystal violet with β-2-microglobulin amyloid fibril

Abstract

Dialysis-Related Amyloidosis (DRA) is a serious complication for patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis and severe renal failure. Its clinical manifestation (i.e., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) may be associated mainly with fibril deposits of β-2-micro globulin (β2M) in the joints, kidney, and bone. Previous studies have been made to show the binding of dyes such as congo red (CR) and Thioflavin T to β2M fibrils. Since staining methods for the demonstration of β2M fibrils are limited, other dyes such as crystal violet (CV) may be developed as stains to elucidate amyloid fibrils. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to demonstrate the shift in the maximum absorption wavelengths, which indicates binding, of the β2M seeded solutions examined. The use of UV-Vis spectroscopy as a technique for amyloid fibril demonstration serves as an advantage due to the instrument's availability in most laboratories. β2M solutions tested with CV demonstrates a shift (to shorter wavelengths) in the maximum absorption wavelengths. Thus, the development of these dyes as methods for amyloid elucidation will not only increase the variety of staining methods, but also will help design new therapeutic strategies to combat amyloidosis.