Carbon nanomaterials and amyloid-beta interactions: potentials for the detection and treatment of Alzheimer's disease?

Carbon-based nanomaterials have unique physicochemical properties relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. There have been many reports indicating that carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) can interact and perturb biomolecules such as proteins and amyloid structures. This review is an attempt to reflect the role of CNMs in the treatment and detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The potential of CNMs in the field of neuroscience has also been reviewed. The exposure to CNMs ends up with effective radical and peptide scavenging structures, which, in turn, inhibit further formation and progression of amyloid fibrils. However, the effect of CNMs on initial nucleation and lag phase in this process may promote fibrillation. We have discussed the controversy that whether CNMs promote or inhibit the formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) fibrils to help preventing their toxicity or enhancing their therapeutic effects.