A research team led by Professor Chan Beum Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering announced on May 16 that they  have  succeeded in developing magnetoelectric nanomaterials for the dissociation of highly stable amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates under a low-frequency magnetic field. The study, in which Dr. Jinhyeong Jang participated as the first author, was published on May 13 in Science Advances under the title “The Magnetoelectric dissociation of Alzheimer's β-amyloid aggregates”. The research team said that the developed nanomaterials can be used to decompose Aβ aggregates, which are known to cause Alzheimer's disease.

Magnetoelectric materials have physical properties that combine magnetism and electricity  and are key materials that constitute parts of various electronic devices such as spintronics devices and transducers. However, improvement in performance with these materials has been difficult to achieve due to the spin-orbit interactions of protons that interfere with the spin and orbital motion of electrons within the atom. 

The research team developed heterogeneous magnetoelectric nanoparticles by combining cobalt ferrite and bismuth ferrite — mainly used in semiconductor and battery fields — in a core-shell structure. Through uniform bonding of two different magnetic and electrical materials, a magneto-piezoelectric effect — an accumulation of electric charge — reacting to a low-frequency magnetic field at the interface may be generated. The team paid special attention to this phenomenon that occurs when nanoparticles respond to low-frequency magnetic fields. Magnetic fields are  proven to be innocuous to the human body since they are able to penetrate brain tissue without damaging it, thus being readily used in the medical field such as its application in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

Taking advantage of such findings, this research explored the possible implications on disease treatment. Amyloid aggregates are commonly observed in various degenerative neurological diseases and are a defining hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Aβ has a very stable secondary structure induced by hydrogen bonds which makes it difficult to decompose.  However, when a low-frequency magnetic field was fired on the nanoparticles developed by the team, nanoparticles were able to oxidize Aβ peptides and thus weaken and break up the Aβ aggregate, as well as neutralize its neurotoxicity. In addition, nanoparticles did not emit heat when generating charge carriers in response to magnetic fields.

Professor Park remarked that low-frequency magnetic field reactive nanomaterials have the potential to be expanded on in the medical field due to their low toxicity and efficiency in the dissociation of Aβ aggregates. He also added that “experiments on animals would be the foremost requirement for future research and verification.”