The production of hydrogen peroxide during early-stage protein aggregation: a common pathological mechanism in different neurodegenerative diseases?

By means of an ESR spin-trapping method, we have shown that Aβ (amyloid β), α-synuclein and various toxic forms of the prion protein all appear to generate H₂O₂in vitro. A fundamental molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of cell death in several different neurodegenerative diseases could be the direct production of H₂O₂ during the early stages of protein aggregation.