Anti-fibrillation Effect of Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated with Boswellic Acid on α-synuclein

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are characterized by the death of neurons in specific brains. α-synuclein (α-Syn) is a key factor in Parkinson’s disease (PD), forming toxic fibrils when misfolded. Natural products, such as Boswellia serrata, have shown promise in treating neurodegenerative diseases. However, the poor pharmacological performance of Boswellia acids (BAs) limits their effectiveness. Enhancing the bioavailability of BAs through nanocarriers could be a solution. This study explores the potential of β-Boswellic acid conjugated to gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as a novel PD treatment. Covalent and noncovalent conjugations of β-Boswellic acid to GNPs (GNP-BA) were developed to study their impact on α-Syn fibrillation in vitro. The successful synthesis of spherical GNPs (< 32 nm) was confirmed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). UV-visible and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies confirmed the conjugation of BA to GNPs. Specific interactions between α-Syn and GNP-BA conjugates were observed, with GNPs noncovalently bound to BA effectively inhibiting fibril formation. Thioflavin T (ThT) assay and atomic force microscopy (AFM) further supported the inhibitory effect of designed GNPs on α-Syn fibrillation, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for PD treatment.