Numerous theoretical studies have been conducted on the effects of high-voltage electric fields on proteins, but few have produced experimental evidence. To acquire experimental data for the amyloid disassemble theory, we exposed transthyretin aggregates to 1 ns 1.26 MV/cm pulsed electric fields (PEFs) to promote transthyretin degradation. The process produced no changes in pH, and the resulting temperature increases were < 1 °C. We conclude that the physical effects of PEFs, rather than thermal or chemical effects, facilitate aggregate degradation.

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14Exposing transthyretin amyloid to 1000 sub-nanosecond 2 MV/cm pulsed electric fields 15 (PEFs) promotes both amyloid disassembly and amyloid-derived transthyretin 16 disintegration. The process produced no change in pH, and the resulting temperature 17 increase was less than 1 ºC. We conclude that PEFs' physical effects facilitate amyloid 18 disassembly, rather than thermal or chemical effects, and provoke amyloid-derived 19 transthyretin disintegration, the latter of which is reported here for the first time. 20 21

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