# Copper-Induced Amyloidosis Studied by Mass Spectrometry

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST · 2020 · $308,179

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Several human proteins are known to form amyloid fibrils, and these fibrils are
associated with several devastating diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type II
diabetes, and dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA). One of these proteins, human β-2-
microglobulin (β2m), can form amyloid fibrils in the presence of Cu(II), leading to DRA. While
many general aspects of amyloid formation are understood, molecular-level information about
the early stages of amyloid forming reactions is only beginning to be revealed. This information,
though, is critical for the rational development of therapeutics against amyloid diseases.
Previous work from our group has developed and applied new covalent labeling (CL) techniques
together with mass spectrometry (MS) to structurally characterize the pre-amyloid oligomers of
β2m. The insight gained from these new tools has helped identify small molecules that can
inhibit β2m amyloid formation. Understanding the molecular basis of these inhibitors is important
for improving them, and we will advance new MS-based approaches to gain this understanding.
 MS is emerging as a powerful tool for studying the structures of proteins and protein
oligomers, but most often individual MS-based techniques are used to gather the desired
information. We propose the combination of MS-based structural tools that together will provide
synergistic information to characterize the molecular basis of β2m amyloid inhibitors.
Specifically, we will explore the combination of CL/MS and hydrogen/deuterium exchange
(HDX)/MS to give a more detailed picture of the structural changes undergone by β2m and its
oligomers. We will also establish an HDX-enhanced ion mobility method to characterize
isomeric oligomers that are populated in the presence of certain inhibitors.
 Our research on β2m amyloid formation so far has revealed how Cu(II) partially unfolds
β2m, allowing it to form distinct oligomers before mature fibrils are produced. We have also
begun to study inhibitors of β2m amyloid formation. The combination of MS-based methods
proposed here seek to reveal the molecular basis of inhibitors of β2m amyloid formation,
including characterization of isomeric oligomers. A specific outcome of this research will be a
better molecular-level understanding of how to inhibit β2m amyloid formation, which will lead to
therapeutics against DRA. The techniques developed in this work will be generally applicable to
other amyloid systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9989118
- **Project number:** 5R01GM075092-16
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
- **Principal Investigator:** RICHARD W VACHET
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $308,179
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2005-07-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9989118

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9989118, Copper-Induced Amyloidosis Studied by Mass Spectrometry (5R01GM075092-16). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9989118. Licensed CC0.

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