151
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Shi Q, Chen C, Zhang BY, Zhou W, Xiao K, Dong XP. Redox induces diverse effects on recombinant human wild-type PrP and mutated PrP with inserted or deleted octarepeats. Int J Mol Med 2018; 41:2413-2419. [PMID: 29393338 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal prion protein (PrP) contains two cysteines at amino acids 179 and 214, which may form intra‑ and interpeptide disulfide bonds. To determine the possible effects of this disulfide bridge on the biochemical features of PrP, prokaryotic recombinant human wild‑type PrP (PG5), and mutated PrPs with seven extra octarepeats (PG12) or with all five octarepeats removed (PG0), were subjected to redox in vitro. Sedimentation assays revealed a large portion of aggregation in redox‑treated PG5, but not in PG0 and PG12. Circular dichroism analysis detected increased β‑sheet and decreased α‑helix in PG5 subjected to redox, increased random‑coil and decreased β‑sheet in PG0, and increased random‑coil, but limited changes to β‑sheet content, in PG12. Thioflavin T fluorescence tests indicated that fluorescent value was increased in PG5 subjected to redox. In addition, proteinase K (PK) digestions indicated that PK resistance was stronger in PG12 and PG0 compared with in PG5; redox enhanced the PK resistance of all three PrP constructs, particularly PG0 and PG12. These data indicated that formation of a disulfide bond induces marked alterations in the secondary structure and biochemical characteristics of PrP. In addition, the octarepeat region within the PrP peptide markedly influences the effects of redox on the biochemical phenotypes of PrP, thus highlighting the importance of the number of octarepeats in the biological functions of PrP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Cao Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Yun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Kang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Ping Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University, Hangzhou), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
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152
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Longhena F, Spano P, Bellucci A. Targeting of Disordered Proteins by Small Molecules in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 245:85-110. [PMID: 28965171 DOI: 10.1007/164_2017_60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The formation of protein aggregates and inclusions in the brain and spinal cord is a common neuropathological feature of a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and many others. These are commonly referred as neurodegenerative proteinopathies or protein-misfolding diseases. The main characteristic of protein aggregates in these disorders is the fact that they are enriched in amyloid fibrils. Since protein aggregation is considered to play a central role for the onset of neurodegenerative proteinopathies, research is ongoing to develop strategies aimed at preventing or removing protein aggregation in the brain of affected patients. Numerous studies have shown that small molecule-based approaches may be potentially the most promising for halting protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, several of these compounds have been found to interact with intrinsically disordered proteins and promote their clearing in experimental models. This notwithstanding, at present small molecule inhibitors still awaits achievements for clinical translation. Hopefully, if we determine whether the formation of insoluble inclusions is effectively neurotoxic and find a valid biomarker to assess their protein aggregation-inhibitory activity in the human central nervous system, the use of small molecule inhibitors will be considered as a cure for neurodegenerative protein-misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Longhena
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
| | - PierFranco Spano
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
| | - Arianna Bellucci
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy.
- Laboratory of Personalized and Preventive Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
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153
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Sengupta U, Carretero-Murillo M, Kayed R. Preparation and Characterization of Tau Oligomer Strains. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1779:113-146. [PMID: 29886531 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7816-8_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the existence of multiple conformational entities of tau, as have been observed for prion protein. We have developed and optimized techniques to isolate and study oligomeric tau strains both in vitro and ex vivo. Moreover, we have modified protocols that demonstrate the seeding properties of oligomeric tau strains that are capable of propagating in vivo. These methods and protocols are explained in this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urmi Sengupta
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Mariana Carretero-Murillo
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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154
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Abstract
Currently all prion diseases are without effective treatment and are universally fatal. It is increasingly being recognized that the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (AD), includes "prion-like" properties. Hence, any effective therapeutic intervention for prion disease could have significant implications for other neurodegenerative diseases. Conversely, therapies that are effective in AD might also be therapeutically beneficial for prion disease. AD-like prion disease has no effective therapy. However, various vaccine and immunomodulatory approaches have shown great success in animal models of AD, with numerous ongoing clinical trials of these potential immunotherapies. More limited evidence suggests that immunotherapies may be effective in prion models and in naturally occurring prion disease. In particular, experimental data suggest that mucosal vaccination against prions can be effective for protection against orally acquired prion infection. Many prion diseases, including natural sheep scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, chronic wasting disease, and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are thought to be acquired peripherally, mainly by oral exposure. Mucosal vaccination would be most applicable to this form of transmission. In this chapter we review various immunologically based strategies which are under development for prion infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Fernando Goñi
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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155
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Takada LT, Kim MO, Metcalf S, Gala II, Geschwind MD. Prion disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 148:441-464. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64076-5.00029-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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156
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Prion protein inhibits fast axonal transport through a mechanism involving casein kinase 2. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188340. [PMID: 29261664 PMCID: PMC5737884 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases include a number of progressive neuropathies involving conformational changes in cellular prion protein (PrPc) that may be fatal sporadic, familial or infectious. Pathological evidence indicated that neurons affected in prion diseases follow a dying-back pattern of degeneration. However, specific cellular processes affected by PrPc that explain such a pattern have not yet been identified. Results from cell biological and pharmacological experiments in isolated squid axoplasm and primary cultured neurons reveal inhibition of fast axonal transport (FAT) as a novel toxic effect elicited by PrPc. Pharmacological, biochemical and cell biological experiments further indicate this toxic effect involves casein kinase 2 (CK2) activation, providing a molecular basis for the toxic effect of PrPc on FAT. CK2 was found to phosphorylate and inhibit light chain subunits of the major motor protein conventional kinesin. Collectively, these findings suggest CK2 as a novel therapeutic target to prevent the gradual loss of neuronal connectivity that characterizes prion diseases.
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157
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What Is Our Current Understanding of PrP Sc-Associated Neurotoxicity and Its Molecular Underpinnings? Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6040063. [PMID: 29194372 PMCID: PMC5750587 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6040063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The prion diseases are a collection of fatal, transmissible neurodegenerative diseases that cause rapid onset dementia and ultimately death. Uniquely, the infectious agent is a misfolded form of the endogenous cellular prion protein, termed PrPSc. Despite the identity of the molecular agent remaining the same, PrPSc can cause a range of diseases with hereditary, spontaneous or iatrogenic aetiologies. However, the link between PrPSc and toxicity is complex, with subclinical cases of prion disease discovered, and prion neurodegeneration without obvious PrPSc deposition. The toxic mechanisms by which PrPSc causes the extensive neuropathology are still poorly understood, although recent advances are beginning to unravel the molecular underpinnings, including oxidative stress, disruption of proteostasis and induction of the unfolded protein response. This review will discuss the diseases caused by PrPSc toxicity, the nature of the toxicity of PrPSc, and our current understanding of the downstream toxic signaling events triggered by the presence of PrPSc.
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158
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Giachin G, Nepravishta R, Mandaliti W, Melino S, Margon A, Scaini D, Mazzei P, Piccolo A, Legname G, Paci M, Leita L. The mechanisms of humic substances self-assembly with biological molecules: The case study of the prion protein. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188308. [PMID: 29161325 PMCID: PMC5697873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Humic substances (HS) are the largest constituent of soil organic matter and are considered as a key component of the terrestrial ecosystem. HS may facilitate the transport of organic and inorganic molecules, as well as the sorption interactions with environmentally relevant proteins such as prions. Prions enter the environment through shedding from live hosts, facilitating a sustained incidence of animal prion diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease and scrapie in cervid and ovine populations, respectively. Changes in prion structure upon environmental exposure may be significant as they can affect prion infectivity and disease pathology. Despite its relevance, the mechanisms of prion interaction with HS are still not completely understood. The goal of this work is to advance a structural-level picture of the encapsulation of recombinant, non-infectious, prion protein (PrP) into different natural HS. We observed that PrP precipitation upon addition of HS is mainly driven by a mechanism of "salting-out" whereby PrP molecules are rapidly removed from the solution and aggregate in insoluble adducts with humic molecules. Importantly, this process does not alter the protein folding since insoluble PrP retains its α-helical content when in complex with HS. The observed ability of HS to promote PrP insolubilization without altering its secondary structure may have potential relevance in the context of "prion ecology". These results suggest that soil organic matter interacts with prions possibly without altering the protein structures. This may facilitate prions preservation from biotic and abiotic degradation leading to their accumulation in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Giachin
- Department of Neurosciences, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail: (GG); (LL)
| | - Ridvan Nepravishta
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- School of Pharmacy, East Anglia University, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Walter Mandaliti
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Sonia Melino
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Alja Margon
- CREA Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics), Gorizia, Italy
| | - Denis Scaini
- Life Science Department, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
- ELETTRA Synchrotron Light Source, Trieste, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Mazzei
- Interdepartmental Research Centre (CERMANU), University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Piccolo
- Interdepartmental Research Centre (CERMANU), University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neurosciences, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- ELETTRA Synchrotron Light Source, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maurizio Paci
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Liviana Leita
- CREA Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics), Gorizia, Italy
- * E-mail: (GG); (LL)
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159
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Roguski A, Gill AC. The Role of the Mammalian Prion Protein in the Control of Sleep. Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6040058. [PMID: 29149024 PMCID: PMC5750582 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6040058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep disruption is a prevalent clinical feature in many neurodegenerative disorders, including human prion diseases where it can be the defining dysfunction, as in the case of the "eponymous" fatal familial insomnia, or an early-stage symptom as in certain types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It is important to establish the role of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), the key molecule involved in prion pathogenesis, within the sleep-wake system in order to understand fully the mechanisms underlying its contribution to both healthy circadian rhythmicity and sleep dysfunction during disease. Although severe disruption to the circadian rhythm and melatonin release is evident during the pathogenic phases of some prion diseases, untangling whether PrPC plays a role in circadian rhythmicity, as suggested in mice deficient for PrPC expression, is challenging given the lack of basic experimental research. We provide a short review of the small amount of direct literature focused on the role of PrPC in melatonin and circadian rhythm regulation, as well as suggesting mechanisms by which PrPC might exert influence upon noradrenergic and dopaminergic signaling and melatonin synthesis. Future research in this area should focus upon isolating the points of dysfunction within the retino-pineal pathway and further investigate PrPC mediation of pinealocyte GPCR activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Roguski
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Andrew C Gill
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK.
- School of Chemistry, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7DL, UK.
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160
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Differential overexpression of SERPINA3 in human prion diseases. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15637. [PMID: 29142239 PMCID: PMC5688139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15778-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders with sporadic, genetic or acquired etiologies. The molecular alterations leading to the onset and the spreading of these diseases are still unknown. In a previous work we identified a five-gene signature able to distinguish intracranially BSE-infected macaques from healthy ones, with SERPINA3 showing the most prominent dysregulation. We analyzed 128 suitable frontal cortex samples, from prion-affected patients (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) n = 20, iatrogenic CJD (iCJD) n = 11, sporadic CJD (sCJD) n = 23, familial CJD (gCJD) n = 17, fatal familial insomnia (FFI) n = 9, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS)) n = 4), patients with Alzheimer disease (AD, n = 14) and age-matched controls (n = 30). Real Time-quantitative PCR was performed for SERPINA3 transcript, and ACTB, RPL19, GAPDH and B2M were used as reference genes. We report SERPINA3 to be strongly up-regulated in the brain of all human prion diseases, with only a mild up-regulation in AD. We show that this striking up-regulation, both at the mRNA and at the protein level, is present in all types of human prion diseases analyzed, although to a different extent for each specific disorder. Our data suggest that SERPINA3 may be involved in the pathogenesis and the progression of prion diseases, representing a valid tool for distinguishing different forms of these disorders in humans.
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161
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Tamgüney G, Korczyn AD. A critical review of the prion hypothesis of human synucleinopathies. Cell Tissue Res 2017; 373:213-220. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2712-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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162
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Abstract
Protein sequences are evolved to encode generally one folded structure, out of a nearly infinite array of possible folds. Underlying this code is a funneled free energy landscape that guides folding to the native conformation. Protein misfolding and aggregation are also a manifestation of free-energy landscapes. The detailed mechanisms of these processes are poorly understood, but often involve rare, transient species and a variety of different pathways. The inherent complexity of misfolding has hampered efforts to measure aggregation pathways and the underlying energy landscape, especially using traditional methods where ensemble averaging obscures important rare and transient events. We recently studied the misfolding and aggregation of prion protein by examining 2 monomers tethered in close proximity as a dimer, showing how the steps leading to the formation of a stable aggregated state can be resolved in the single-molecule limit and the underlying energy landscape thereby reconstructed. This approach allows a more quantitative comparison of native folding versus misfolding, including fundamental differences in the dynamics for misfolding. By identifying key steps and interactions leading to misfolding, it should help to identify potential drug targets. Here we describe the importance of characterizing free-energy landscapes for aggregation and the challenges involved in doing so, and we discuss how single-molecule studies can help test proposed structural models for PrP aggregates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek R Dee
- a Department of Physics , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB , Canada
| | - Michael T Woodside
- a Department of Physics , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB , Canada;,b National Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council , Edmonton , AB , Canada
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163
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Watts JC, Prusiner SB. Experimental Models of Inherited PrP Prion Diseases. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2017; 7:cshperspect.a027151. [PMID: 28096244 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a027151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The inherited prion protein (PrP) prion disorders, which include familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease, and fatal familial insomnia, constitute ∼10%-15% of all PrP prion disease cases in humans. Attempts to generate animal models of these disorders using transgenic mice expressing mutant PrP have produced variable results. Although many lines of mice develop spontaneous signs of neurological illness with accompanying prion disease-specific neuropathological changes, others do not. Furthermore, demonstrating the presence of protease-resistant PrP species and prion infectivity-two of the hallmarks of the PrP prion disorders-in the brains of spontaneously sick mice has proven particularly challenging. Here, we review the progress that has been made toward developing accurate mouse models of the inherited PrP prion disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Departments of Neurology and Biochemistry and Biophysics, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
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164
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Wang X, Noroozian Z, Lynch M, Armstrong N, Schneider R, Liu M, Ghodrati F, Zhang AB, Yang YJ, Hall AC, Solarski M, Killackey SA, Watts JC. Strains of Pathological Protein Aggregates in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Discoveries (Craiova) 2017; 5:e78. [PMID: 32309596 PMCID: PMC7159837 DOI: 10.15190/d.2017.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of protein aggregates in the brain is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Considerable evidence has revealed that the pathological protein aggregates in many neurodegenerative diseases are able to self-propagate, which may enable pathology to spread from cell-to-cell within the brain. This property is reminiscent of what occurs in prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. A widely recognized feature of prion disorders is the existence of distinct strains of prions, which are thought to represent unique protein aggregate structures. A number of recent studies have pointed to the existence of strains of protein aggregates in other, more common neurodegenerative illnesses such as AD, PD, and related disorders. In this review, we outline the pathobiology of prion strains and discuss how the concept of protein aggregate strains may help to explain the heterogeneity inherent to many human neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zeinab Noroozian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute - Biological Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Madelaine Lynch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute - Biological Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Armstrong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Raphael Schneider
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mingzhe Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute - Biological Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Farinaz Ghodrati
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ashley B Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yoo Jeong Yang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amanda C Hall
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Solarski
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Samuel A Killackey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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165
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Inhibition of IL-1β Signaling Normalizes NMDA-Dependent Neurotransmission and Reduces Seizure Susceptibility in a Mouse Model of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. J Neurosci 2017; 37:10278-10289. [PMID: 28924012 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1301-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by prion protein (PrP) misfolding, clinically recognized by cognitive and motor deficits, electroencephalographic abnormalities, and seizures. Its neurophysiological bases are not known. To assess the potential involvement of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction, we analyzed NMDA-dependent synaptic plasticity in hippocampal slices from Tg(CJD) mice, which model a genetic form of CJD. Because PrP depletion may result in functional upregulation of NMDARs, we also analyzed PrP knock-out (KO) mice. Long-term potentiation (LTP) at the Schaffer collateral-commissural synapses in the CA1 area of ∼100-d-old Tg(CJD) mice was comparable to that of wild-type (WT) controls, but there was an inversion of metaplasticity, with increased GluN2B phosphorylation, which is indicative of enhanced NMDAR activation. Similar but less marked changes were seen in PrP KO mice. At ∼300 d of age, the magnitude of LTP increased in Tg(CJD) mice but decreased in PrP KO mice, indicating divergent changes in hippocampal synaptic responsiveness. Tg(CJD) but not PrP KO mice were intrinsically more susceptible than WT controls to focal hippocampal seizures induced by kainic acid. IL-1β-positive astrocytes increased in the Tg(CJD) hippocampus, and blocking IL-1 receptor signaling restored normal synaptic responses and reduced seizure susceptibility. These results indicate that alterations in NMDA-dependent glutamatergic transmission in Tg(CJD) mice do not depend solely on PrP functional loss. Moreover, astrocytic IL-1β plays a role in the enhanced synaptic responsiveness and seizure susceptibility, suggesting that targeting IL-1β signaling may offer a novel symptomatic treatment for CJD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dementia and myoclonic jerks develop in individuals with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), an incurable brain disorder caused by alterations in prion protein structure. These individuals are prone to seizures and have high brain levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Here we show that blocking IL-1β receptors with anakinra, the human recombinant form of the endogenous IL-1 receptor antagonist used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, normalizes hippocampal neurotransmission and reduces seizure susceptibility in a CJD mouse model. These results link neuroinflammation to defective neurotransmission and the enhanced susceptibility to seizures in CJD and raise the possibility that targeting IL-1β with clinically available drugs may be beneficial for symptomatic treatment of the disease.
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166
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Re RN. A Pathogenic Mechanism Potentially Operative in Multiple Progressive Diseases and Its Therapeutic Implications. J Clin Pharmacol 2017; 57:1507-1518. [DOI: 10.1002/jcph.997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard N. Re
- Division of Academics-Research; Ochsner Clinic Foundation; New Orleans LA USA
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167
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Legname
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail:
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168
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Elezgarai SR, Fernández-Borges N, Eraña H, Sevillano AM, Charco JM, Harrathi C, Saá P, Gil D, Kong Q, Requena JR, Andréoletti O, Castilla J. Generation of a new infectious recombinant prion: a model to understand Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9584. [PMID: 28851967 PMCID: PMC5575253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09489-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that include Kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), and fatal familial insomnia. GSS is a genetically determined TSE caused by a range of mutations within the prion protein (PrP) gene. Several animal models, based on the expression of PrPs carrying mutations analogous to human heritable prion diseases, support that mutations might predispose PrP to spontaneously misfold. An adapted Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification methodology based on the use of human recombinant PrP (recPMCA) generated different self-propagating misfolded proteins spontaneously. These were characterized biochemically and structurally, and the one partially sharing some of the GSS PrPSc molecular features was inoculated into different animal models showing high infectivity. This constitutes an infectious recombinant prion which could be an invaluable model for understanding GSS. Moreover, this study proves the possibility to generate recombinant versions of other human prion diseases that could provide a further understanding on the molecular features of these devastating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saioa R Elezgarai
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain
| | | | - Hasier Eraña
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Alejandro M Sevillano
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jorge M Charco
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Chafik Harrathi
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Paula Saá
- American Red Cross, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - David Gil
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Qingzhong Kong
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Jesús R Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Olivier Andréoletti
- Ecole Nationale du Veterinaire, Service de Pathologie du Bétail, Toulouse, 31076, France
| | - Joaquín Castilla
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, 48160, Bizkaia, Spain. .,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48011, Bizkaia, Spain.
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169
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Simmons M, Ru G, Casalone C, Iulini B, Cassar C, Seuberlich T. DISCONTOOLS: Identifying gaps in controlling bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65 Suppl 1:9-21. [PMID: 28795509 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This article summarizes the 2016 update of the DISCONTOOLS project gap analysis on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), which was based on a combination of literature review and expert knowledge. Uncertainty still exists in relation to the pathogenesis, immunology and epidemiology of BSE, but provided that infected material is prohibited from entering the animal feed chain, cases should continue to decline. BSE does not appear to spread between cattle, but if new strains with this ability appear then control would be considerably more difficult. Atypical types of BSE (L-BSE and H-BSE) have been identified, which have different molecular patterns and pathology, and do not display the same clinical signs as classical BSE. Laboratory transmission experiments indicate that the L-BSE agent has zoonotic potential. There is no satisfactory conclusion regarding the origin of the BSE epidemic. C-BSE case numbers declined rapidly following strict controls banning ruminant protein in animal feed, but occasional cases still occur. It is unclear whether these more recent cases indicate inadequate implementation of the bans, or the possibility that C-BSE might occur spontaneously, as has been postulated for H- and L-BSE. All of this will have implications once existing bans and levels of surveillance are both relaxed. Immunochemical tests can only be applied post-mortem. There is no immunological basis for diagnosis in the live animal. All aspects of disease control are expensive, particularly surveillance, specified risk material removal and feed controls. There is pressure to relax feed controls, and concurrent pressure from other sources to reduce surveillance. While the cost benefit argument can be applied successfully to either of these approaches, it would be necessary to maintain the ban on intraspecies recycling and some baseline surveillance. However, the potential risk is not limited to intraspecies recycling; recycling with cross-species transmission may be an ideal way to select or/and modify properties of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Simmons
- OIE, National and EU Reference Laboratory for BSE and Scrapie, Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK
| | - G Ru
- CEA - National Reference Laboratory for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, OIE Reference Laboratories for BSE and Scrapie, Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - C Casalone
- CEA - National Reference Laboratory for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, OIE Reference Laboratories for BSE and Scrapie, Neuropathology Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - B Iulini
- CEA - National Reference Laboratory for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, OIE Reference Laboratories for BSE and Scrapie, Neuropathology Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - C Cassar
- OIE, National and EU Reference Laboratory for BSE and Scrapie, Department of Pathology, APHA Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, UK
| | - T Seuberlich
- NeuroCenter, OIE and National Reference Laboratories for BSE and Scrapie, Division of Neurological Sciences, Vetsuisse Faculty, Bern, Switzerland
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170
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Boilan E, Winant V, Dumortier E, ElMoualij B, Quatresooz P, Osiewacz HD, Debacq-Chainiaux F, Toussaint O. Role of Prion protein in premature senescence of human fibroblasts. Mech Ageing Dev 2017; 170:106-113. [PMID: 28800967 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Prion protein (PrP) is essentially known for its capacity to induce neurodegenerative prion diseases in mammals caused by a conformational change in its normal cellular isoform (PrPC) into an infectious and disease-associated misfolded form, called scrapie isoform (PrPSc). Although its sequence is highly conserved, less information is available on its physiological role under normal conditions. However, increasing evidence supports a role for PrPC in the cellular response to oxidative stress. In the present study, a new link between PrP and senescence is highlighted. The role of PrP in premature senescence induced by copper was investigated. WI-38 human fibroblasts were incubated with copper sulfate (CuSO4) to trigger premature senescence. This induced an increase of PrP mRNA level, an increase of protein abundance of the normal form of PrP and a nuclear localization of the protein. Knockdown of PrP expression using specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) gave rise to appearance of several biomarkers of senescence as a senescent morphology, an increase of senescence associated β-galactosidase activity and a decrease of the cellular proliferative potential. Overall these data suggest that PrP protects cells against premature senescence induced by copper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Boilan
- Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire (URBC) - Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (Narilis), University of Namur, Belgium.
| | - Virginie Winant
- Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire (URBC) - Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (Narilis), University of Namur, Belgium
| | - Elise Dumortier
- Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire (URBC) - Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (Narilis), University of Namur, Belgium
| | | | | | - Heinz D Osiewacz
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Florence Debacq-Chainiaux
- Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire (URBC) - Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (Narilis), University of Namur, Belgium.
| | - Olivier Toussaint
- Unité de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire (URBC) - Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (Narilis), University of Namur, Belgium
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171
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Kell DB, Pretorius E. To What Extent Are the Terminal Stages of Sepsis, Septic Shock, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Actually Driven by a Prion/Amyloid Form of Fibrin? Semin Thromb Hemost 2017; 44:224-238. [PMID: 28778104 PMCID: PMC6193370 DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1604108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A well-established development of increasing disease severity leads from sepsis through systemic inflammatory response syndrome, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and cellular and organismal death. Less commonly discussed are the equally well-established coagulopathies that accompany this. We argue that a lipopolysaccharide-initiated (often disseminated intravascular) coagulation is accompanied by a proteolysis of fibrinogen such that formed fibrin is both inflammatory and resistant to fibrinolysis. In particular, we argue that the form of fibrin generated is amyloid in nature because much of its normal α-helical content is transformed to β-sheets, as occurs with other proteins in established amyloidogenic and prion diseases. We hypothesize that these processes of amyloidogenic clotting and the attendant coagulopathies play a role in the passage along the aforementioned pathways to organismal death, and that their inhibition would be of significant therapeutic value, a claim for which there is considerable emerging evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- School of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
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172
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Perrier V, Imberdis T, Lafon PA, Cefis M, Wang Y, Huetter E, Arnaud JD, Alvarez-Martinez T, Le Guern N, Maquart G, Lagrost L, Desrumaux C. Plasma cholesterol level determines in vivo prion propagation. J Lipid Res 2017; 58:1950-1961. [PMID: 28765208 PMCID: PMC5625119 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m073718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are fatal neurodegenerative diseases with an urgent need for therapeutic and prophylactic strategies. At the time when the blood-mediated transmission of prions was demonstrated, in vitro studies indicated a high binding affinity of the scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) with apoB-containing lipoproteins, i.e., the main carriers of cholesterol in human blood. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between circulating cholesterol-containing lipoproteins and the pathogenicity of prions in vivo. We showed that, in mice with a genetically engineered deficiency for the plasma lipid transporter, phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), abnormally low circulating cholesterol concentrations were associated with a significant prolongation of survival time after intraperitoneal inoculation of the 22L prion strain. Moreover, when circulating cholesterol levels rose after feeding PLTP-deficient mice a lipid-enriched diet, a significant reduction in survival time of mice together with a marked increase in the accumulation rate of PrPSc deposits in their brain were observed. Our results suggest that the circulating cholesterol level is a determinant of prion propagation in vivo and that cholesterol-lowering strategies might be a successful therapeutic approach for patients suffering from prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Perrier
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France
| | - Thibaud Imberdis
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France
| | - Pierre-André Lafon
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France
| | - Marina Cefis
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France
| | - Yunyun Wang
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France.,Cellular Signaling Laboratory, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Elisabeth Huetter
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France
| | - Jacques-Damien Arnaud
- Etablissement Confiné d'Expérimentation A3/L3, CECEMA, US009 Biocampus, UMS 3426, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34095 France
| | - Teresa Alvarez-Martinez
- Etablissement Confiné d'Expérimentation A3/L3, CECEMA, US009 Biocampus, UMS 3426, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34095 France
| | - Naig Le Guern
- INSERM, LNC UMR866, F-21000 Dijon, France and LNC UMR866, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France.,LipSTIC LabEx, Fondation de Coopération Scientifique Bourgogne-Franche Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Guillaume Maquart
- INSERM, LNC UMR866, F-21000 Dijon, France and LNC UMR866, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France.,LipSTIC LabEx, Fondation de Coopération Scientifique Bourgogne-Franche Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Laurent Lagrost
- INSERM, LNC UMR866, F-21000 Dijon, France and LNC UMR866, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France.,LipSTIC LabEx, Fondation de Coopération Scientifique Bourgogne-Franche Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France.,University Hospital of Dijon, F-21000 Dijon, France
| | - Catherine Desrumaux
- Université Montpellier and Inserm U1198, Montpellier, F-34095 France and EPHE, Paris, F-75007 France .,LipSTIC LabEx, Fondation de Coopération Scientifique Bourgogne-Franche Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France
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173
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Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into a pathogenic conformation (PrPSc). PrPSc is capable of folding into multiple self-replicating prion strains that produce phenotypically distinct neurological disorders. Evidence suggests that the structural heterogeneity of PrPSc is the molecular basis of strain-specific prion properties. The self-templating of PrPSc typically ensures that prion strains breed true upon passage. However, prion strains also have the capacity to conformationally transform to maximize their rate of replication in a given environment. Here, we provide an overview of the prion-strain phenomenon and describe the role of strain adaptation in drug resistance. We also describe recent evidence that shows the presence of distinct conformational strains in other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Ghaemmaghami
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627
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174
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Henderson DM, Tennant JM, Haley NJ, Denkers ND, Mathiason CK, Hoover EA. Detection of chronic wasting disease prion seeding activity in deer and elk feces by real-time quaking-induced conversion. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:1953-1962. [PMID: 28703697 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emergent prion disease affecting cervid species in North America, Canada, South Korea, and recently, Norway. Detection of CWD has been advanced by techniques that rely on amplification of low levels of prion amyloid to a detectable level. However, the increased sensitivity of amplification assays is often compromised by inhibitors and/or activators in complex biologic samples including body fluids, excreta, or the environment. Here, we adapt real-time quaking-induced conversion conditions to specifically detect CWD prions in fecal samples from both experimentally infected deer and naturally infected elk and estimate environmental contamination. The results have application to detection, surveillance and management of CWD, and potentially to other protein-misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davin M Henderson
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joanne M Tennant
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas J Haley
- Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Midwestern State University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Nathaniel D Denkers
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Candace K Mathiason
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Edward A Hoover
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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175
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Obst J, Simon E, Mancuso R, Gomez-Nicola D. The Role of Microglia in Prion Diseases: A Paradigm of Functional Diversity. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:207. [PMID: 28690540 PMCID: PMC5481309 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a major component of neurodegenerative diseases. Microglia are the innate immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS). In the healthy brain, microglia contribute to tissue homeostasis and regulation of synaptic plasticity. Under disease conditions, they play a key role in the development and maintenance of the neuroinflammatory response, by showing enhanced proliferation and activation. Prion diseases are progressive chronic neurodegenerative disorders associated with the accumulation of the scrapie prion protein PrPSc, a misfolded conformer of the cellular prion protein PrPC. This review article provides the current knowledge on the role of microglia in the pathogenesis of prion disease. A large body of evidence shows that microglia can trigger neurotoxic pathways contributing to progressive degeneration. Yet, microglia are also crucial for controlling inflammatory, repair and regenerative processes. This dual role of microglia is regulated by multiple pathways and evidences the ability of these cells to polarize into distinct phenotypes with characteristic functions. The awareness that the neuroinflammatory response is inextricably involved in producing tissue damage as well as repair in neurodegenerative disorders, opens new perspectives for the modulation of the immune system. A better understanding of this complex process will be essential for developing effective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, in order to improve the quality of life of patients and mitigating the personal, economic and social consequences derived from these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Obst
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthampton, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Simon
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthampton, United Kingdom
| | - Renzo Mancuso
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthampton, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Gomez-Nicola
- Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General HospitalSouthampton, United Kingdom
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176
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Abstract
Amyloids and amyloid-based prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates which can spread by converting a normal protein of the same sequence into a prion form. They are associated with diseases in humans and mammals, and control heritable traits in yeast and other fungi. Some amyloids are implicated in biologically beneficial processes. As prion formation generates reproducible memory of a conformational change, prions can be considered as molecular memory devices. We have demonstrated that in yeast, stress-inducible cytoskeleton-associated protein Lsb2 forms a metastable prion in response to high temperature. This prion promotes conversion of other proteins into prions and can persist in a fraction of cells for a significant number of cell generations after stress, thus maintaining the memory of stress in a population of surviving cells. Acquisition of an amino acid substitution required for Lsb2 to form a prion coincides with acquisition of increased thermotolerance in the evolution of Saccharomyces yeast. Thus the ability to form an Lsb2 prion in response to stress coincides with yeast adaptation to growth at higher temperatures. These findings intimately connect prion formation to the cellular response to environmental stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana A Chernova
- a Department of Biochemistry , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
| | - Yury O Chernoff
- b School of Biological Sciences , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , GA , USA.,c Laboratory of Amyloid Biology and Institute of Translational Biomedicine , St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia
| | - Keith D Wilkinson
- a Department of Biochemistry , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA
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177
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Lindholm D, Korhonen L, Eriksson O, Kõks S. Recent Insights into the Role of Unfolded Protein Response in ER Stress in Health and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2017; 5:48. [PMID: 28540288 PMCID: PMC5423914 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2017.00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unfolded stress response (UPR) is a conserved cellular pathway involved in protein quality control to maintain homeostasis under different conditions and disease states characterized by cell stress. Although three general schemes of and genes induced by UPR are rather well-established, open questions remain including the precise role of UPR in human diseases and the interactions between different sensor systems during cell stress signaling. Particularly, the issue how the normally adaptive and pro-survival UPR pathway turns into a deleterious process causing sustained endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell death requires more studies. UPR is also named a friend with multiple personalities that we need to understand better to fully recognize its role in normal physiology and in disease pathology. UPR interacts with other organelles including mitochondria, and with cell stress signals and degradation pathways such as autophagy and the ubiquitin proteasome system. Here we review current concepts and mechanisms of UPR as studied in different cells and model systems and highlight the relevance of UPR and related stress signals in various human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Lindholm
- Medicum, Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiHelsinki, Finland.,Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical ResearchHelsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Korhonen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical ResearchHelsinki, Finland.,Division of Child Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central HospitalHelsinki, Finland
| | - Ove Eriksson
- Medicum, Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiHelsinki, Finland
| | - Sulev Kõks
- Department of Pathophysiology, University of TartuTartu, Estonia.,Department of Reproductive Biology, Estonian University of Life SciencesTartu, Estonia
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178
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Saarikangas J, Caudron F. Spatial regulation of coalesced protein assemblies: Lessons from yeast to diseases. Prion 2017; 11:162-173. [PMID: 28574744 PMCID: PMC5480387 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2017.1322239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms rely on correctly folded proteins to carry out essential functions. Protein quality control factors guard proteostasis and prevent protein misfolding. When quality control fails and in response to diverse stresses, many proteins start to accumulate at specific deposit sites that maintain cellular organization and protect the functionality of coalescing proteins. These transitions involve dedicated proteins that promote coalescence and are facilitated by endo-membranes and cytoskeletal platforms. Moreover, several proteins make use of weak multivalent interactions or conformational templating to drive the formation of large-scale assemblies. Formation of such assemblies is often associated with a change in biochemical activity that can be used by cells to execute biochemical decisions in a localized manner during development and adaption. Since all assembly types impact cell physiology, their localization and dynamics need to be tightly regulated. Interestingly, at least some of the regulatory mechanisms are shared by functional membrane-less organelles and assemblies of terminally aggregated proteins. Furthermore, constituents of functional assemblies can aggregate and become non-functional during aging. Here we present the current knowledge as to how coalescing protein assemblies are spatially organized in cells and we postulate that failures in their spatial confinement might underscore certain aspects of aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Saarikangas
- a ETH Zurich, Institute of Biochemistry , Zurich , Switzerland.,b Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin , Institute for Advanced Study , Berlin , Germany.,c Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,d Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Fabrice Caudron
- e Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics , King's College London , London , UK
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179
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Myelin Basic Protein Citrullination, a Hallmark of Central Nervous System Demyelination, Assessed by Novel Monoclonal Antibodies in Prion Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:3172-3184. [PMID: 28470584 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0560-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Myelin basic protein (MBP) citrullination by peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes leads to incomplete protein-lipid bilayer interactions and vulnerability to proteolytic enzymes, resulting in disorganization of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system. Therefore, citrullinated MBP (citMBP) has been suggested as a hallmark of demyelination, but how citMBP is implicated in prion diseases remains unknown. For the first time, we developed mouse monoclonal anti-citMBP IgG1 (clones 1B8, 1H1, and 3C6) and IgM (clone 3G5) antibodies that recognize human citMBP at its R25, R122, and R130 residues and at its C-terminal region (or the corresponding sites in mouse MBP), respectively. Using a biochemical, immunohistochemical, and immunogold-silver staining for electron microscopy techniques, we found that MBP residue R23 (corresponding to human R25) was specifically citrullinated, was stained as intense punctae in the corpus callosum, the striatum, and the cerebellar white matter, and was predominantly localized in disorganized myelin in the brains of scrapie-infected mice. In the brains of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) patients, MBP residues R25, R122, and R130 were markedly citrullinated and were stained as fibrils and punctae. In particular, white matter regions, such as the midbrain and the medulla, exhibited high levels of citMBP compared to other regions. However, the high levels of citMBP were not correlated with PAD2 expression. The clone 3G5 recognized significantly increased expression of the 18.5 kDa and/or 21.5 kDa variants of MBP in prion disease. Our findings suggest that significantly increased levels of citMBP may reflect demyelinating neuropathology, and that these newly developed antibodies may be useful for identifying demyelination.
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180
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Iaccarino L, Moresco RM, Presotto L, Bugiani O, Iannaccone S, Giaccone G, Tagliavini F, Perani D. An In Vivo 11C-(R)-PK11195 PET and In Vitro Pathology Study of Microglia Activation in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:2856-2868. [PMID: 28455699 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Microgliosis is part of the immunobiology of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This is the first report using 11C-(R)-PK11195 PET imaging in vivo to measure 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) expression, indexing microglia activation, in symptomatic CJD patients, followed by a postmortem neuropathology comparison. One genetic CJD (gCJD) patient, two sporadic CJD (sCJD) patients, one variant CJD (vCJD) patient (mean ± SD age, 47.50 ± 15.95 years), and nine healthy controls (mean ± SD age, 44.00 ± 11.10 years) were included in the study. TSPO binding potentials were estimated using clustering and parametric analyses of reference regions. Statistical comparisons were run at the regional and at the voxel-wise levels. Postmortem evaluation measured scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) immunoreactivity, neuronal loss, spongiosis, astrogliosis, and microgliosis. 11C-(R)-PK11195-PET showed a significant TSPO overexpression at the cortical level in the two sCJD patients, as well as thalamic and cerebellar involvement; very limited parieto-occipital activation in the gCJD case; and significant increases at the subcortical level in the thalamus, basal ganglia, and midbrain and in the cerebellum in the vCJD brain. Along with misfolded prion deposits, neuropathology in all patients revealed neuronal loss, spongiosis and astrogliosis, and a diffuse cerebral and cerebellar microgliosis which was particularly dense in thalamic and basal ganglia structures in the vCJD brain. These findings confirm significant microgliosis in CJD, which was variably modulated in vivo and more diffuse at postmortem evaluation. Thus, TSPO overexpression in microglia activation, topography, and extent can vary in CJD subtypes, as shown in vivo, possibly related to the response to fast apoptotic processes, but reaches a large amount at the final disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Iaccarino
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.,In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Moresco
- Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,IBFM-CNR, Via F.lli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20090, Milan, Italy.,Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Presotto
- In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Orso Bugiani
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Sandro Iannaccone
- Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Clinical Neurosciences Department, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- IRCCS Foundation "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute, Via Celoria 11, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Perani
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy. .,In Vivo Human Molecular and Structural Neuroimaging Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy. .,Nuclear Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
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181
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Llorens F, Thüne K, Sikorska B, Schmitz M, Tahir W, Fernández-Borges N, Cramm M, Gotzmann N, Carmona M, Streichenberger N, Michel U, Zafar S, Schuetz AL, Rajput A, Andréoletti O, Bonn S, Fischer A, Liberski PP, Torres JM, Ferrer I, Zerr I. Altered Ca 2+ homeostasis induces Calpain-Cathepsin axis activation in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:35. [PMID: 28449707 PMCID: PMC5408381 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0431-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is the most prevalent form of human prion disease and it is characterized by the presence of neuronal loss, spongiform degeneration, chronic inflammation and the accumulation of misfolded and pathogenic prion protein (PrPSc). The molecular mechanisms underlying these alterations are largely unknown, but the presence of intracellular neuronal calcium (Ca2+) overload, a general feature in models of prion diseases, is suggested to play a key role in prion pathogenesis. Here we describe the presence of massive regulation of Ca2+ responsive genes in sCJD brain tissue, accompanied by two Ca2+-dependent processes: endoplasmic reticulum stress and the activation of the cysteine proteases Calpains 1/2. Pathogenic Calpain proteins activation in sCJD is linked to the cleavage of their cellular substrates, impaired autophagy and lysosomal damage, which is partially reversed by Calpain inhibition in a cellular prion model. Additionally, Calpain 1 treatment enhances seeding activity of PrPSc in a prion conversion assay. Neuronal lysosomal impairment caused by Calpain over activation leads to the release of the lysosomal protease Cathepsin S that in sCJD mainly localises in axons, although massive Cathepsin S overexpression is detected in microglial cells. Alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis and activation of Calpain-Cathepsin axis already occur at pre-clinical stages of the disease as detected in a humanized sCJD mouse model. Altogether our work indicates that unbalanced Calpain-Cathepsin activation is a relevant contributor to the pathogenesis of sCJD at multiple molecular levels and a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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182
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Macedo JA, Schrama D, Duarte I, Tavares E, Renaut J, Futschik ME, Rodrigues PM, Melo EP. Membrane-enriched proteome changes and prion protein expression during neural differentiation and in neuroblastoma cells. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:319. [PMID: 28431525 PMCID: PMC5401558 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3694-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The function of the prion protein, involved in the so-called prion diseases, remains a subject of intense debate and the possibility that it works as a pleiotropic protein through the interaction with multiple membrane proteins is somehow supported by recent reports. Therefore, the use of proteomic and bioinformatics combined to uncover cellular processes occurring together with changes in the expression of the prion protein may provide further insight into the putative pleiotropic role of the prion protein. Results This study assessed the membrane-enriched proteome changes accompanying alterations in the expression of the prion protein. A 2D-DIGE approach was applied to two cell lines after prefractionation towards the membrane protein subset: an embryonic stem cell line and the PK1 subline of neuroblastoma cells which efficiently propagates prion infection. Several proteins were differentially abundant with the increased expression of the prion protein during neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells and with the knockdown of the prion protein in PK1 cells. The identity of around 20% of the differentially abundant proteins was obtained by tandem MS. The catalytic subunit A of succinate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme for the aerobic energy metabolism and redox homeostasis, showed a similar abundance trend as the prion protein in both proteomic experiments. A gene ontology analysis revealed “myelin sheath”, “organelle membrane” and “focal adhesion” associated proteins as the main cellular components, and “protein folding” and “ATPase activity” as the biological processes enriched in the first set of differentially abundant proteins. The known interactome of these differentially abundant proteins was customized to reveal four interactors with the prion protein, including two heat shock proteins and a protein disulfide isomerase. Conclusions Overall, our study shows that expression of the prion protein occurs concomitantly with changes in chaperone activity and cell-redox homeostasis, emphasizing the functional link between these cellular processes and the prion protein. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3694-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Macedo
- CBMR, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - D Schrama
- CCMAR, Centre of Marine Sciences of Algarve, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - I Duarte
- CBMR, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - E Tavares
- CBMR, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - J Renaut
- LIST, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - M E Futschik
- CCMAR, Centre of Marine Sciences of Algarve, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal.,School of Biomedical & Healthcare Sciences, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, UK
| | - P M Rodrigues
- CCMAR, Centre of Marine Sciences of Algarve, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - E P Melo
- CBMR, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal.
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183
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Zweckstetter
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
- University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jesús R. Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Holger Wille
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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184
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Kang SG, Kim C, Aiken J, Yoo HS, McKenzie D. Dual MicroRNA to Cellular Prion Protein Inhibits Propagation of Pathogenic Prion Protein in Cultured Cells. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:2384-2396. [PMID: 28357807 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0495-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal transmissible neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and various mammals. In spite of intensive efforts, there is no effective cure or treatment for prion diseases. Cellular forms of prion protein (PrPC) is essential for propagation of abnormal isoforms of prion protein (PrPSc) and pathogenesis. The effect of an artificial dual microRNA (DmiR) on PrPC suppression and resultant inhibition of prion replication was determined using prion-infectible cell cultures: differentiated C2C12 culture and primary mixed neuronal and glial cells culture (MNGC). Processing of DmiR by prion-susceptible myotubes, but not by reserve cells, in differentiated C2C12 culture slowed prion replication, implying an importance of cell type-specific PrPC targeting. In MNGC, reduction of PrPC with DmiR was effective for suppressing prion replication. MNGC lentivirally transduced with non-targeting control miRNAs (scrambled) reduced prion replication at a level similar to that with a synthetic analogue of viral RNA, poly I:C. The results suggest that a synergistic combination of the immunostimulatory RNA duplexes (miRNA) and PrPC silencing with DmiR might augment a therapeutic potential of RNA interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Chiye Kim
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Judd Aiken
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Han Sang Yoo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, BK21 PLUS, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Debbie McKenzie
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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185
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Linden R. The Biological Function of the Prion Protein: A Cell Surface Scaffold of Signaling Modules. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:77. [PMID: 28373833 PMCID: PMC5357658 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion glycoprotein (PrPC) is mostly located at the cell surface, tethered to the plasma membrane through a glycosyl-phosphatydil inositol (GPI) anchor. Misfolding of PrPC is associated with the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), whereas its normal conformer serves as a receptor for oligomers of the β-amyloid peptide, which play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). PrPC is highly expressed in both the nervous and immune systems, as well as in other organs, but its functions are controversial. Extensive experimental work disclosed multiple physiological roles of PrPC at the molecular, cellular and systemic levels, affecting the homeostasis of copper, neuroprotection, stem cell renewal and memory mechanisms, among others. Often each such process has been heralded as the bona fide function of PrPC, despite restricted attention paid to a selected phenotypic trait, associated with either modulation of gene expression or to the engagement of PrPC with a single ligand. In contrast, the GPI-anchored prion protein was shown to bind several extracellular and transmembrane ligands, which are required to endow that protein with the ability to play various roles in transmembrane signal transduction. In addition, differing sets of those ligands are available in cell type- and context-dependent scenarios. To account for such properties, we proposed that PrPC serves as a dynamic platform for the assembly of signaling modules at the cell surface, with widespread consequences for both physiology and behavior. The current review advances the hypothesis that the biological function of the prion protein is that of a cell surface scaffold protein, based on the striking similarities of its functional properties with those of scaffold proteins involved in the organization of intracellular signal transduction pathways. Those properties are: the ability to recruit spatially restricted sets of binding molecules involved in specific signaling; mediation of the crosstalk of signaling pathways; reciprocal allosteric regulation with binding partners; compartmentalized responses; dependence of signaling properties upon posttranslational modification; and stoichiometric requirements and/or oligomerization-dependent impact on signaling. The scaffold concept may contribute to novel approaches to the development of effective treatments to hitherto incurable neurodegenerative diseases, through informed modulation of prion protein-ligand interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Linden
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis, Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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186
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Sanz Rubio D, López-Pérez Ó, de Andrés Pablo Á, Bolea R, Osta R, Badiola JJ, Zaragoza P, Martín-Burriel I, Toivonen JM. Increased circulating microRNAs miR-342-3p and miR-21-5p in natural sheep prion disease. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:305-310. [PMID: 27959774 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), or prion disease, of sheep and goats. As no simple diagnostic tests are yet available to detect TSEs in vivo, easily accessible biomarkers could facilitate the eradication of scrapie agents from the food chain. To this end, we analysed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR a selected set of candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) from circulating blood plasma of naturally infected, classical scrapie sheep that demonstrated clear scrapie symptoms and pathology. Significant scrapie-associated increase was repeatedly found for miR-342-3p and miR-21-5p. This is the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of circulating miRNA alterations in any animal suffering from TSE. Genome-wide expression studies are warranted to investigate the true depth of miRNA alterations in naturally occurring TSEs, especially in presymptomatic animals, as the presented study demonstrates the potential feasibility of miRNAs as circulating TSE biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sanz Rubio
- LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Óscar López-Pérez
- Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.,LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Álvaro de Andrés Pablo
- LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Rosa Bolea
- Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Rosario Osta
- LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Juan J Badiola
- Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Pilar Zaragoza
- LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Martín-Burriel
- Centro de Investigación en Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.,LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Janne M Toivonen
- LAGENBIO, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA and IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
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187
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Du Z, Goncharoff DK, Cheng X, Li L. Analysis of [SWI + ] formation and propagation events. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:105-124. [PMID: 28035761 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, harbors several prions that are transmitted as altered, heritable protein conformations. [SWI+ ] is one such prion whose determinant is Swi1, a subunit of the evolutionarily conserved chromatin-remodeling complex SWI/SNF. Despite the importance of Swi1, the molecular events that lead to [SWI+ ] prionogenesis remain poorly understood. In this study, we have constructed floccullin-promoter-based URA3 reporters for [SWI+ ] identification. Using these reporters, we show that the spontaneous formation frequency of [SWI+ ] is significantly higher than that of [PSI+ ] (prion form of Sup35). We also show that preexisting [PSI+ ] or [PIN+ ] (prion form of Rnq1), or overproduction of Swi1 prion-domain (PrD) can considerably promote Swi1 prionogenesis. Moreover, our data suggest a strain-specific effect of overproduction of Sse1 - a nucleotide exchange factor of the molecular chaperone Hsp70, and its interaction with another molecular chaperone Hsp104 on [SWI+ ] maintenance. Additionally, we show that Swi1 aggregates are initially ring/ribbon-like then become dot-like in mature [SWI+ ] cells. In the presence of [PSI+ ] or [PIN+ ], Swi1 ring/ribbon-like aggregates predominantly colocalize with the Sup35 or Rnq1 aggregates; without a preexisting prion, however, such colocalizations are rarely seen during Swi1-PrD overproduction-promoted Swi1 prionogenesis. We have thus demonstrated a complex interacting mechanism of yeast prionogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Du
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 320 E Superior St, Searle 7-650, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Dustin Kenneth Goncharoff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 320 E Superior St, Searle 7-650, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Xudong Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 320 E Superior St, Searle 7-650, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Liming Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 320 E Superior St, Searle 7-650, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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188
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Abstract
Human prion diseases are rare neurodegenerative diseases that have become the subject of public and scientific interest because of concerns about interspecies transmission and the unusual biological properties of the causal agents: prions. These diseases are unique in that they occur in sporadic, hereditary, and infectious forms that are characterized by an extended incubation period between exposure to infection and the development of clinical illness. Silent infection can be present in peripheral tissues during the incubation period, which poses a challenge to public health, especially because prions are relatively resistant to standard decontamination procedures. Despite intense research efforts, no effective treatment has been developed for human prion diseases, which remain uniformly fatal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Will
- National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Research and Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
| | - James W Ironside
- National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Research and Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, United Kingdom
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189
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Pathogenesis Converges on Defects in Protein Homeostasis Associated with TDP-43 Mislocalization and Proteasome-Mediated Degradation Overload. Curr Top Dev Biol 2017; 121:111-171. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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190
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Stein R, Chirilã M. Routes of Transmission in the Food Chain. FOODBORNE DISEASES 2017. [PMCID: PMC7148622 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385007-2.00003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
More than 250 different foodborne diseases have been described to date, annually affecting about one-third of the world's population. The incidence of foodborne diseases has been underreported and underestimated, and the asymptomatic presentation of some of the illnesses, worldwide heterogeneities in reporting, and the alternative transmission routes of certain pathogens are among the factors that contribute to this. Globalization, centralization of the food supply, transportation of food products progressively farther from their places of origin, and the multitude of steps where contamination may occur have made it increasingly challenging to investigate foodborne and waterborne outbreaks. Certain foodborne pathogens may be transmitted directly from animals to humans, while others are transmitted through vectors, such as insects, or through food handlers, contaminated food products or food-processing surfaces, or transfer from sponges, cloths, or utensils. Additionally, the airborne route may contribute to the transmission of certain foodborne pathogens. Complicating epidemiological investigations, multiple transmission routes have been described for some foodborne pathogens. Two types of transmission barriers, primary and secondary, have been described for foodborne pathogens, each of them providing opportunities for preventing and controlling outbreaks. Primary barriers, the most effective sites of prophylactic intervention, prevent pathogen entry into the environment, while secondary barriers prevent the multiplication and dissemination of pathogens that have already entered the environment. Understanding pathogen dynamics, monitoring transmission, and implementing preventive measures are complicated by the phenomenon of superspreading, which refers to the concept that, at the level of populations, a minority of hosts is responsible for the majority of transmission events.
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191
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Proteins behaving badly. Substoichiometric molecular control and amplification of the initiation and nature of amyloid fibril formation: lessons from and for blood clotting. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 123:16-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 08/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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192
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Takada LT, Kim MO, Cleveland RW, Wong K, Forner SA, Gala II, Fong JC, Geschwind MD. Genetic prion disease: Experience of a rapidly progressive dementia center in the United States and a review of the literature. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2017; 174:36-69. [PMID: 27943639 PMCID: PMC7207989 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although prion diseases are generally thought to present as rapidly progressive dementias with survival of only a few months, the phenotypic spectrum for genetic prion diseases (gPrDs) is much broader. The majority have a rapid decline with short survival, but many patients with gPrDs present as slowly progressive ataxic or parkinsonian disorders with progression over a few to several years. A few very rare mutations even present as neuropsychiatric disorders, sometimes with systemic symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorders and neuropathy, progressing over years to decades. gPrDs are caused by mutations in the prion protein gene (PRNP), and have been historically classified based on their clinicopathological features as genetic Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease (gJCD), Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS), or Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI). Mutations in PRNP can be missense, nonsense, and octapeptide repeat insertions or a deletion, and present with diverse clinical features, sensitivities of ancillary testing, and neuropathological findings. We present the UCSF gPrD cohort, including 129 symptomatic patients referred to and/or seen at UCSF between 2001 and 2016, and compare the clinical features of the gPrDs from 22 mutations identified in our cohort with data from the literature, as well as perform a literature review on most other mutations not represented in our cohort. E200K is the most common mutation worldwide, is associated with gJCD, and was the most common in the UCSF cohort. Among the GSS-associated mutations, P102L is the most commonly reported and was also the most common at UCSF. We also had several octapeptide repeat insertions (OPRI), a rare nonsense mutation (Q160X), and three novel mutations (K194E, E200G, and A224V) in our UCSF cohort. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonel T. Takada
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mee-Ohk Kim
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94107
| | - Ross W. Cleveland
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05401
| | - Katherine Wong
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94107
| | - Sven A. Forner
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94107
| | - Ignacio Illán Gala
- Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jamie C. Fong
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94107
| | - Michael D. Geschwind
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94107
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194
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Sanchez-Garcia J, Jensen K, Zhang Y, Rincon-Limas DE, Fernandez-Funez P. A single amino acid (Asp159) from the dog prion protein suppresses the toxicity of the mouse prion protein in Drosophila. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 95:204-9. [PMID: 27477054 PMCID: PMC5010947 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 07/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolding of the prion protein (PrP) is the key step in the transmission of spongiform pathologies in humans and several animals. Although PrP is highly conserved in mammals, a few changes in the sequence of endogenous PrP are proposed to confer protection to dogs, which were highly exposed to prion during the mad-cow epidemics. D159 is a unique amino acid found in PrP from dogs and other canines that was shown to alter surface charge, but its functional relevance has never been tested in vivo. Here, we show in transgenic Drosophila that introducing the N159D substitution on mouse PrP decreases its turnover. Additionally, mouse PrP-N159D demonstrates no toxicity and accumulates no pathogenic conformations, suggesting that a single D159 substitution is sufficient to prevent PrP conformational change and pathogenesis. Understanding the mechanisms mediating the protective activity of D159 is likely to lessen the burden of prion diseases in humans and domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sanchez-Garcia
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - K Jensen
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Y Zhang
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - D E Rincon-Limas
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Genetics Institute and Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - P Fernandez-Funez
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Genetics Institute and Center for Translational Research on Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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195
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MacLea KS. What Makes a Prion: Infectious Proteins From Animals to Yeast. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 329:227-276. [PMID: 28109329 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
While philosophers in ancient times had many ideas for the cause of contagion, the modern study of infective agents began with Fracastoro's 1546 proposal that invisible "spores" spread infectious disease. However, firm categorization of the pathogens of the natural world would need to await a mature germ theory that would not arise for 300 years. In the 19th century, the earliest pathogens described were bacteria and other cellular microbes. By the close of that century, the work of Ivanovsky and Beijerinck introduced the concept of a virus, an infective particle smaller than any known cell. Extending into the early-mid-20th century there was an explosive growth in pathogenic microbiology, with a cellular or viral cause identified for nearly every transmissible disease. A few occult pathogens remained to be discovered, including the infectious proteins (prions) proposed by Prusiner in 1982. This review discusses the prions identified in mammals, yeasts, and other organisms, focusing on the amyloid-based prions. I discuss the essential biochemical properties of these agents and the application of this knowledge to diseases of protein misfolding and aggregation, as well as the utility of yeast as a model organism to study prion and amyloid proteins that affect human and animal health. Further, I summarize the ideas emerging out of these studies that the prion concept may go beyond proteinaceous infectious particles and that prions may be a subset of proteins having general nucleating or seeding functions involved in noninfectious as well as infectious pathogenic protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S MacLea
- University of New Hampshire, Manchester, NH, United States.
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196
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Guinea Pig Prion Protein Supports Rapid Propagation of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Prions. J Virol 2016; 90:9558-9569. [PMID: 27440899 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01106-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The biochemical and neuropathological properties of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) prions are faithfully maintained upon transmission to guinea pigs. However, primary and secondary transmissions of BSE and vCJD in guinea pigs result in long incubation periods of ∼450 and ∼350 days, respectively. To determine if the incubation periods of BSE and vCJD prions could be shortened, we generated transgenic (Tg) mice expressing guinea pig prion protein (GPPrP). Inoculation of Tg(GPPrP) mice with BSE and vCJD prions resulted in mean incubation periods of 210 and 199 days, respectively, which shortened to 137 and 122 days upon serial transmission. In contrast, three different isolates of sporadic CJD prions failed to transmit disease to Tg(GPPrP) mice. Many of the strain-specified biochemical and neuropathological properties of BSE and vCJD prions, including the presence of type 2 protease-resistant PrPSc, were preserved upon propagation in Tg(GPPrP) mice. Structural modeling revealed that two residues near the N-terminal region of α-helix 1 in GPPrP might mediate its susceptibility to BSE and vCJD prions. Our results demonstrate that expression of GPPrP in Tg mice supports the rapid propagation of BSE and vCJD prions and suggest that Tg(GPPrP) mice may serve as a useful paradigm for bioassaying these prion isolates. IMPORTANCE Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions are two of the prion strains most relevant to human health. However, propagating these strains in mice expressing human or bovine prion protein has been difficult because of prolonged incubation periods or inefficient transmission. Here, we show that transgenic mice expressing guinea pig prion protein are fully susceptible to vCJD and BSE prions but not to sporadic CJD prions. Our results suggest that the guinea pig prion protein is a better, more rapid substrate than either bovine or human prion protein for propagating BSE and vCJD prions.
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197
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Watts JC, Giles K, Bourkas MEC, Patel S, Oehler A, Gavidia M, Bhardwaj S, Lee J, Prusiner SB. Towards authentic transgenic mouse models of heritable PrP prion diseases. Acta Neuropathol 2016; 132:593-610. [PMID: 27350609 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-016-1585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Attempts to model inherited human prion disorders such as familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease, and fatal familial insomnia (FFI) using genetically modified mice have produced disappointing results. We recently demonstrated that transgenic (Tg) mice expressing wild-type bank vole prion protein (BVPrP) containing isoleucine at polymorphic codon 109 develop a spontaneous neurodegenerative disorder that exhibits many of the hallmarks of prion disease. To determine if mutations causing inherited human prion disease alter this phenotype, we generated Tg mice expressing BVPrP containing the D178N mutation, which causes FFI; the E200K mutation, which causes familial CJD; or an anchorless PrP mutation similar to mutations that cause GSS. Modest expression levels of mutant BVPrP resulted in highly penetrant spontaneous disease in Tg mice, with mean ages of disease onset ranging from ~120 to ~560 days. The brains of spontaneously ill mice exhibited prominent features of prion disease-specific neuropathology that were unique to each mutation and distinct from Tg mice expressing wild-type BVPrP. An ~8-kDa proteinase K-resistant PrP fragment was found in the brains of spontaneously ill Tg mice expressing either wild-type or mutant BVPrP. The spontaneously formed mutant BVPrP prions were transmissible to Tg mice expressing wild-type or mutant BVPrP as well as to Tg mice expressing mouse PrP. Thus, Tg mice expressing mutant BVPrP exhibit many of the hallmarks of heritable prion disorders in humans including spontaneous disease, protease-resistant PrP, and prion infectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel C Watts
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Kurt Giles
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Matthew E C Bourkas
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Smita Patel
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
| | - Abby Oehler
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
| | - Marta Gavidia
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
| | - Sumita Bhardwaj
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
| | - Joanne Lee
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0518, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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198
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The Structural Architecture of an Infectious Mammalian Prion Using Electron Cryomicroscopy. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005835. [PMID: 27606840 PMCID: PMC5015997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The structure of the infectious prion protein (PrPSc), which is responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, has escaped all attempts at elucidation due to its insolubility and propensity to aggregate. PrPSc replicates by converting the non-infectious, cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the misfolded, infectious conformer through an unknown mechanism. PrPSc and its N-terminally truncated variant, PrP 27–30, aggregate into amorphous aggregates, 2D crystals, and amyloid fibrils. The structure of these infectious conformers is essential to understanding prion replication and the development of structure-based therapeutic interventions. Here we used the repetitive organization inherent to GPI-anchorless PrP 27–30 amyloid fibrils to analyze their structure via electron cryomicroscopy. Fourier-transform analyses of averaged fibril segments indicate a repeating unit of 19.1 Å. 3D reconstructions of these fibrils revealed two distinct protofilaments, and, together with a molecular volume of 18,990 Å3, predicted the height of each PrP 27–30 molecule as ~17.7 Å. Together, the data indicate a four-rung β-solenoid structure as a key feature for the architecture of infectious mammalian prions. Furthermore, they allow to formulate a molecular mechanism for the replication of prions. Knowledge of the prion structure will provide important insights into the self-propagation mechanisms of protein misfolding. The structure of the infectious prion (PrPSc), which is responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, has escaped all attempts at elucidation due to its propensity to aggregate. Here, we use the repetitive organization inherent in amyloid fibrils to analyze the structure of GPI-anchorless PrP 27–30 via electron cryomicroscopy. Fourier-transform analysis of averaged fibril segments indicates a repeating unit of 19.1 Å. In agreement with this observation, 3D reconstructions reveal that each fibril contains two distinct protofilaments and that the height of each PrP 27–30 molecule in these fibrils is ~17.7 Å. Together the data indicate a four-rung β-solenoid structure as a key feature for the architecture of infectious mammalian prions. The data conflict with all previous models for the structure of PrPSc and allow the formulation of a molecular mechanism for the replication of prions.
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199
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Rao M, Gershon MD. The bowel and beyond: the enteric nervous system in neurological disorders. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2016; 13:517-28. [PMID: 27435372 PMCID: PMC5005185 DOI: 10.1038/nrgastro.2016.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 342] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is large, complex and uniquely able to orchestrate gastrointestinal behaviour independently of the central nervous system (CNS). An intact ENS is essential for life and ENS dysfunction is often linked to digestive disorders. The part the ENS plays in neurological disorders, as a portal or participant, has also become increasingly evident. ENS structure and neurochemistry resemble that of the CNS, therefore pathogenic mechanisms that give rise to CNS disorders might also lead to ENS dysfunction, and nerves that interconnect the ENS and CNS can be conduits for disease spread. We review evidence for ENS dysfunction in the aetiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Animal models suggest that common pathophysiological mechanisms account for the frequency of gastrointestinal comorbidity in these conditions. Moreover, the neurotropic pathogen, varicella zoster virus (VZV), unexpectedly establishes latency in enteric and other autonomic neurons that do not innervate skin. VZV reactivation in these neurons produces no rash and is therefore a clandestine cause of gastrointestinal disease, meningitis and strokes. The gut-brain alliance has raised consciousness as a contributor to health, but a gut-brain axis that contributes to disease merits equal attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenakshi Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 622 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | - Michael D. Gershon
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032, USA
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200
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Slapšak U, Salzano G, Amin L, Abskharon RNN, Ilc G, Zupančič B, Biljan I, Plavec J, Giachin G, Legname G. The N Terminus of the Prion Protein Mediates Functional Interactions with the Neuronal Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM) Fibronectin Domain. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:21857-21868. [PMID: 27535221 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.743435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) is a highly conserved glycoprotein mostly expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems by different cell types in mammals. A misfolded, pathogenic isoform, denoted as prion, is related to a class of neurodegenerative diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. PrPC function has not been unequivocally clarified, and it is rather defined as a pleiotropic protein likely acting as a dynamic cell surface scaffolding protein for the assembly of different signaling modules. Among the variety of PrPC protein interactors, the neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) has been studied in vivo, but the structural basis of this functional interaction is still a matter of debate. Here we focused on the structural determinants responsible for human PrPC (HuPrP) and NCAM interaction using stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy, SPR, and NMR spectroscopy approaches. PrPC co-localizes with NCAM in mouse hippocampal neurons, and this interaction is mainly mediated by the intrinsically disordered PrPC N-terminal tail, which binds with high affinity to the NCAM fibronectin type-3 domain. NMR structural investigations revealed surface-interacting epitopes governing the interaction between HuPrP N terminus and the second module of the NCAM fibronectin type-3 domain. Our data provided molecular details about the interaction between HuPrP and the NCAM fibronectin domain, and revealed a new role of PrPC N terminus as a dynamic and functional element responsible for protein-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Slapšak
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Giulia Salzano
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy
| | - Ladan Amin
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy
| | - Romany N N Abskharon
- the Structural Biology Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium, the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), 11516 Cairo, Egypt, and the Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
| | - Gregor Ilc
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Blaž Zupančič
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivana Biljan
- the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102A, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
| | - Janez Plavec
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy, the Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000-Grenoble, France
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy,
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