Ganglioside GM1 produces stable, short, and cytotoxic Aβ40protofibrils

Monosialoganglioside GM1-bound amyloid β-peptides have been found in patients’ brains exhibiting early pathological changes of Alzheimer’ s disease. Herein, we report the ability of non-micellar GM1 to modulate Aβ 40 aggregation resulting in the formation of stable, short, rod-like, and cytotoxic Aβ 40 protofibrils with the ability to potentiate both Aβ 40 and Aβ 42 aggregation.