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Ferrari C, Punturiero C, Milanesi R, Delledonne A, Bagnato A, Strillacci MG. Exploring the genetic variability of the PRNP gene at codons 127, 142, 146, 154, 211, 222, and 240 in goats farmed in the Lombardy Region, Italy. Vet Res 2024; 55:99. [PMID: 39107851 PMCID: PMC11304840 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01353-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Scrapie is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting sheep and goats. The prion protein-encoding gene (PRNP) plays a crucial role in determining susceptibility and resistance to scrapie. At the European level, surveillance of scrapie is essential to prevent the spread of the disease to livestock. According to the Regulation EU 2020/772 polymorphisms K222, D/S146 could function as resistance alleles in the genetic management of disease prevention. In Italy, a breeding plan for scrapie eradication has not been implemented for goats. However, surveillance plans based on the PRNP genotype have been developed as a preventive measure for scrapie. This research aimed to describe the polymorphisms at 7 positions within the PRNP gene in 956 goats of the Alpine, Saanen and mixed populations farmed in the Lombardy Region in Italy. PRNP polymorphisms were detected using single nucleotide polymorphism markers included in the Neogen GGP Goat 70 k chip. The K222 allele occurred in all populations, with frequencies ranging from 2.1 to 12.7%. No animals carried the S/D146 resistance allele. However, it has been demonstrated that polymorphisms in the other positions analysed could influence resistance or susceptibility to scrapie outbreaks in different ways. Ten potentially distinct haplotypes were found, and the most prevalent of the three populations was H2, which differed from the wild type (H1) in terms of mutation (S vs P) at codon 240. This study provided additional information on the genetic variability of the PRNP gene in these populations in the Lombardy region of Italy, contributing to the development of genetic control measures for disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - Chiara Punturiero
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Raffaella Milanesi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Andrea Delledonne
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bagnato
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Maria G Strillacci
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via dell'Università 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
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2
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Wang SS, Meng ZL, Zhang YW, Yan YS, Li LB. Prion protein E219K polymorphism: from the discovery of the KANNO blood group to interventions for human prion disease. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1392984. [PMID: 39050130 PMCID: PMC11266091 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1392984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
KANNO is a new human blood group that was recently discovered. The KANNO antigen shares the PRNP gene with the prion protein and the prion protein E219K polymorphism determines the presence or absence of the KANNO antigen and the development of anti-KANNO alloantibodies. These alloantibodies specifically react with prion proteins, which serve as substrates for conversion into pathological isoforms in some prion diseases and may serve as effective targets for resisting prion infection. These findings establish a potential link between the KANNO blood group and human prion disease via the prion protein E219K polymorphism. We reviewed the interesting correlation between the human PRNP gene's E219K polymorphism and the prion proteins it expresses, as well as human red blood cell antigens. Based on the immune serological principles of human blood cells, the prion protein E219K polymorphism may serve as a foundation for earlier molecular diagnosis and future drug development for prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Si Wang
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhao-Li Meng
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Shuang Yan
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ling-Bo Li
- Aikang MedTech Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
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3
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Glynn C, Rodriguez JA, Hyman BT. The structural line between prion and "prion-like": Insights from prion protein and tau. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 86:102857. [PMID: 38489865 PMCID: PMC11162956 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The concept of 'prion-like' behavior has emerged in the study of diseases involving protein misfolding where fibrillar structures, called amyloids, self-propagate and induce disease in a fashion similar to prions. From a biological standpoint, in order to be considered 'prion-like,' a protein must traverse cells and tissues and further propagate via a templated conformational change. Since 2017, cryo-electron microscopy structures from patient-derived 'prion-like' amyloids, in particular tau, have been presented and revealed structural similarities shared across amyloids. Since 2021, cryo-EM structures from prions of known infectivity have been added to the ex vivo amyloid structure family. In this review, we discuss current proposals for the 'prion-like' mechanisms of spread for tau and prion protein as well as discuss different influencers on structures of aggregates from tauopathies and prion diseases. Lastly, we discuss some of the current hypotheses for what may distinguish structures that are 'prion-like' from transmissible prion structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calina Glynn
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jose A Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, STROBE, NSF Science and Technology Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Kamps J, Bader V, Winklhofer KF, Tatzelt J. Liquid-liquid phase separation of the prion protein is regulated by the octarepeat domain independently of histidines and copper. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107310. [PMID: 38657863 PMCID: PMC11126799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of the mammalian prion protein is mainly driven by its intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain (N-PrP). However, the specific intermolecular interactions that promote LLPS remain largely unknown. Here, we used extensive mutagenesis and comparative analyses of evolutionarily distant PrP species to gain insight into the relationship between protein sequence and phase behavior. LLPS of mouse PrP is dependent on two polybasic motifs in N-PrP that are conserved in all tetrapods. A unique feature of mammalian N-PrP is the octarepeat domain with four histidines that mediate binding to copper ions. We now show that the octarepeat is critical for promoting LLPS and preventing the formation of PrP aggregates. Amphibian N-PrP, which contains the polybasic motifs but lacks a repeat domain and histidines, does not undergo LLPS and forms nondynamic protein assemblies indicative of aggregates. Insertion of the mouse octarepeat domain restored LLPS of amphibian N-PrP, supporting its essential role in regulating the phase transition of PrP. This activity of the octarepeat domain was neither dependent on the four highly conserved histidines nor on copper binding. Instead, the regularly spaced tryptophan residues were critical for regulating LLPS, presumably via cation-π interactions with the polybasic motifs. Our study reveals a novel role for the tryptophan residues in the octarepeat in controlling phase transition of PrP and indicates that the ability of mammalian PrP to undergo LLPS has evolved with the octarepeat in the intrinsically disordered domain but independently of the histidines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Kamps
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany
| | - Verian Bader
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Department Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Konstanze F Winklhofer
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany; Department Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany.
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5
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Bartz JC, Benavente R, Caughey B, Christensen S, Herbst A, Hoover EA, Mathiason CK, McKenzie D, Morales R, Schwabenlander MD, Walsh DP. Chronic Wasting Disease: State of the Science. Pathogens 2024; 13:138. [PMID: 38392876 PMCID: PMC10892334 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting cervid species, both free-ranging and captive populations. As the geographic range continues to expand and disease prevalence continues to increase, CWD will have an impact on cervid populations, local economies, and ecosystem health. Mitigation of this "wicked" disease will require input from many different stakeholders including hunters, landowners, research biologists, wildlife managers, and others, working together. The NC1209 (North American interdisciplinary chronic wasting disease research consortium) is composed of scientists from different disciplines involved with investigating and managing CWD. Leveraging this broad breadth of expertise, the Consortium has created a state-of-the-science review of five key aspects of CWD, including current diagnostic capabilities for detecting prions, requirements for validating these diagnostics, the role of environmental transmission in CWD dynamics, and potential zoonotic risks associated with CWD. The goal of this review is to increase stakeholders', managers', and decision-makers' understanding of this disease informed by current scientific knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C. Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA;
| | - Rebeca Benavente
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.B.); (R.M.)
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA;
| | - Sonja Christensen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - Allen Herbst
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI 53711, USA;
| | - Edward A. Hoover
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (E.A.H.); (C.K.M.)
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (E.A.H.); (C.K.M.)
| | - Debbie McKenzie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada;
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.B.); (R.M.)
- Centro Integrativo de Biologia y Quimica Aplicada (CIBQA), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
| | - Marc D. Schwabenlander
- Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Daniel P. Walsh
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
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Simmons SM, Bartz JC. Strain-Specific Targeting and Destruction of Cells by Prions. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:57. [PMID: 38275733 PMCID: PMC10813089 DOI: 10.3390/biology13010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Prion diseases are caused by the disease-specific self-templating infectious conformation of the host-encoded prion protein, PrPSc. Prion strains are operationally defined as a heritable phenotype of disease under controlled conditions. One of the hallmark phenotypes of prion strain diversity is tropism within and between tissues. A defining feature of prion strains is the regional distribution of PrPSc in the CNS. Additionally, in both natural and experimental prion disease, stark differences in the tropism of prions in secondary lymphoreticular system tissues occur. The mechanism underlying prion tropism is unknown; however, several possible hypotheses have been proposed. Clinical target areas are prion strain-specific populations of neurons within the CNS that are susceptible to neurodegeneration following the replication of prions past a toxic threshold. Alternatively, the switch from a replicative to toxic form of PrPSc may drive prion tropism. The normal form of the prion protein, PrPC, is required for prion formation. More recent evidence suggests that it can mediate prion and prion-like disease neurodegeneration. In vitro systems for prion formation have indicated that cellular cofactors contribute to prion formation. Since these cofactors can be strain specific, this has led to the hypothesis that the distribution of prion formation cofactors can influence prion tropism. Overall, there is evidence to support several mechanisms of prion strain tropism; however, a unified theory has yet to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason C. Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA;
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Hong JM, Munna AN, Moon JH, Kim JH, Seol JW, Eo SK, Park SY. Antiviral activity of prion protein against Japanese encephalitis virus infection in vitro and in vivo. Virus Res 2023; 338:199249. [PMID: 37858731 PMCID: PMC10598702 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Flaviviruses are a major cause of viral diseases worldwide, for which effective treatments have yet to be discovered. The prion protein (PrPc) is abundantly expressed in brain cells and has been shown to play a variety of roles, including neuroprotection, cell homeostasis, and regulation of cellular signaling. However, it is still unclear whether PrPc can protect against flaviviruses. In this study, we investigated the role of PrPc in regulating autophagy flux and its potential antiviral activity during Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. Our in vivo experiment showed that JEV was more lethal to the PrPc knocked out mice which was further supported by histological analysis, western blot and rtPCR results from infected mice brain samples. Role of PrPc against viral propagation in vitro was verified through cell survival study, protein expression and RNA replication analysis, and adenoviral vector assay by overexpressing PrPc. Further analysis indicated that after virus entry, PrPc inhibited autophagic flux that prevented JEV replication inside the host cell. Our results from in vivo and in vitro investigations demonstrate that prion protein effectively inhibited JEV propagation by regulating autophagy flux which is used by JEV to release its genetic material and replication after entering the host cell, suggesting that prion protein may be a promising therapeutic target for flavivirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Min Hong
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Ali Newaz Munna
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hong Moon
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Jong-Hoon Kim
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Jae-Won Seol
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Seong-Kug Eo
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea
| | - Sang-Youel Park
- Biosafety Research Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79, Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54596, South Korea.
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8
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Gunnels T, Shikiya RA, York TC, Block AJ, Bartz JC. Evidence for preexisting prion substrain diversity in a biologically cloned prion strain. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011632. [PMID: 37669293 PMCID: PMC10503715 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of inevitably fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting numerous mammalian species, including Sapiens. Prions are composed of PrPSc, the disease specific conformation of the host encoded prion protein. Prion strains are operationally defined as a heritable phenotype of disease under controlled transmission conditions. Treatment of rodents with anti-prion drugs results in the emergence of drug-resistant prion strains and suggest that prion strains are comprised of a dominant strain and substrains. While much experimental evidence is consistent with this hypothesis, direct observation of substrains has not been observed. Here we show that replication of the dominant strain is required for suppression of a substrain. Based on this observation we reasoned that selective reduction of the dominant strain may allow for emergence of substrains. Using a combination of biochemical methods to selectively reduce drowsy (DY) PrPSc from biologically-cloned DY transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME)-infected brain resulted in the emergence of strains with different properties than DY TME. The selection methods did not occur during prion formation, suggesting the substrains identified preexisted in the DY TME-infected brain. We show that DY TME is biologically stable, even under conditions of serial passage at high titer that can lead to strain breakdown. Substrains therefore can exist under conditions where the dominant strain does not allow for substrain emergence suggesting that substrains are a common feature of prions. This observation has mechanistic implications for prion strain evolution, drug resistance and interspecies transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess Gunnels
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Ronald A. Shikiya
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Taylor C. York
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Alyssa J. Block
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Jason C. Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
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Broce IJ, Caverzasi E, Sacco S, Nillo RM, Paoletti M, Desikan RS, Geschwind M, Sugrue LP. PRNP expression predicts imaging findings in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:536-552. [PMID: 36744645 PMCID: PMC10109249 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explored the relationship between regional PRNP expression from healthy brain tissue and patterns of increased and decreased diffusion and regional brain atrophy in patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). METHODS We used PRNP microarray data from 6 healthy adult brains from Allen Brain Institute and T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRIs from 34 patients diagnosed with sCJD and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls to construct partial correlation matrices across brain regions for specific measures of interest: PRNP expression, mean diffusivity, volume, cortical thickness, and local gyrification index, a measure of cortical folding. RESULTS Regional patterns of PRNP expression in the healthy brain correlated with regional patterns of diffusion signal abnormalities and atrophy in sCJD. Among different measures of cortical morphology, regional patterns of local gyrification index in sCJD most strongly correlated with regional patterns of PRNP expression. At the vertex-wise level, different molecular subtypes of sCJD showed distinct regional correlations in local gyrification index across the cortex. Local gyrification index correlation patterns most closely matched patterns of PRNP expression in sCJD subtypes known to have greatest pathologic involvement of the cerebral cortex. INTERPRETATION These results suggest that the specific genetic and molecular environment in which the prion protein is expressed confer variable vulnerability to misfolding across different brain regions that is reflected in patterns of imaging findings in sCJD. Further work in larger samples will be needed to determine whether these regional imaging patterns can serve as reliable markers of distinct disease subtypes to improve diagnosis and treatment targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris J. Broce
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, UCSFSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California, San DiegoSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Eduardo Caverzasi
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, UCSFSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Brain and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of PaviaPaviaItaly
| | - Simone Sacco
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, UCSFSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Division of Neuroimaging, Department of Medical ImagingUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Ryan Michael Nillo
- Neuroradiology Section, Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Matteo Paoletti
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, UCSFSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Advanced Imaging and Radiomics Center, Neuroradiology DepartmentIRCCS Mondino FoundationPaviaItaly
| | - Rahul S. Desikan
- Neuroradiology Section, Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michael Geschwind
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of NeurologyUniversity of California, San Francisco, UCSFSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Leo P. Sugrue
- Neuroradiology Section, Department of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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10
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Arshad H, Patel Z, Amano G, Li LY, Al-Azzawi ZAM, Supattapone S, Schmitt-Ulms G, Watts JC. A single protective polymorphism in the prion protein blocks cross-species prion replication in cultured cells. J Neurochem 2023; 165:230-245. [PMID: 36511154 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The bank vole (BV) prion protein (PrP) can function as a universal acceptor of prions. However, the molecular details of BVPrP's promiscuity for replicating a diverse range of prion strains remain obscure. To develop a cultured cell paradigm capable of interrogating the unique properties of BVPrP, we generated monoclonal lines of CAD5 cells lacking endogenous PrP but stably expressing either hamster (Ha), mouse (Mo), or BVPrP (M109 or I109 polymorphic variants) and then challenged them with various strains of mouse or hamster prions. Cells expressing BVPrP were susceptible to both mouse and hamster prions, whereas cells expressing MoPrP or HaPrP could only be infected with species-matched prions. Propagation of mouse and hamster prions in cells expressing BVPrP resulted in strain adaptation in several instances, as evidenced by alterations in conformational stability, glycosylation, susceptibility to anti-prion small molecules, and the inability of BVPrP-adapted mouse prion strains to infect cells expressing MoPrP. Interestingly, cells expressing BVPrP containing the G127V prion gene variant, identified in individuals resistant to kuru, were unable to become infected with prions. Moreover, the G127V polymorphic variant impeded the spontaneous aggregation of recombinant BVPrP. These results demonstrate that BVPrP can facilitate cross-species prion replication in cultured cells and that a single amino acid change can override the prion-permissive nature of BVPrP. This cellular paradigm will be useful for dissecting the molecular features of BVPrP that allow it to function as a universal prion acceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Arshad
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zeel Patel
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Genki Amano
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Le Yao Li
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zaid A M Al-Azzawi
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Surachai Supattapone
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
- Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Block AJ, Bartz JC. Prion strains: shining new light on old concepts. Cell Tissue Res 2023; 392:113-133. [PMID: 35796874 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03665-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of inevitably fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting numerous mammalian species, including humans. The existence of heritable phenotypes of disease in the natural host suggested that prions exist as distinct strains. Transmission of sheep scrapie to rodent models accelerated prion research, resulting in the isolation and characterization of numerous strains with distinct characteristics. These strains are grouped into categories based on the incubation period of disease in different strains of mice and also by how stable the strain properties were upon serial passage. These classical studies defined the host and agent parameters that affected strain properties, and, prior to the advent of the prion hypothesis, strain properties were hypothesized to be the result of mutations in a nucleic acid genome of a conventional pathogen. The development of the prion hypothesis challenged the paradigm of infectious agents, and, initially, the existence of strains was difficult to reconcile with a protein-only agent. In the decades since, much evidence has revealed how a protein-only infectious agent can perform complex biological functions. The prevailing hypothesis is that strain-specific conformations of PrPSc encode prion strain diversity. This hypothesis can provide a mechanism to explain the observed strain-specific differences in incubation period of disease, biochemical properties of PrPSc, tissue tropism, and subcellular patterns of pathology. This hypothesis also explains how prion strains mutate, evolve, and adapt to new species. These concepts are applicable to prion-like diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, where evidence of strain diversity is beginning to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa J Block
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Jason C Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA.
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12
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Fast C, Graham C, Kaatz M, Santiago-Mateo K, Kaatz T, MacPherson K, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ziegler U, Groschup MH, Czub S. Discrimination of Classical and Atypical BSE by a Distinct Immunohistochemical PrP Sc Profile. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020353. [PMID: 36839625 PMCID: PMC9965285 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) belongs to the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and is associated with the accumulation of a pathological isoform of the host-encoded glycoprotein, designated prion protein (PrPSc). Classical BSE (C-type) and two atypical BSE forms (L- and H-type) are known, and can be discriminated by biochemical characteristics. The goal of our study was to identify type-specific PrPSc profiles by using Immunohistochemistry. In our study, brain samples from 21 cattle, intracerebrally inoculated with C-, H-, and L-type BSE, were used. In addition, the corresponding samples from three orally C-type BSE infected animals were also included. From all animals, a lesion and PrPSc-profiles of six brain regions were determined. The lesion profile and the neuroanatomical distribution of PrPSc was highly consistent between the groups, but the immunohistochemical analysis revealed a distinct PrPSc profile for the different BSE-types, which included both the topographic and cellular pattern of PrPSc. This qualitative and quantitative analysis of PrPSc affected structures sheds new light into the pathogenesis of the different BSE types. Furthermore, immunohistochemical characterization is supported as an additional diagnostic tool in BSE surveillance programs, especially when only formalin-fixed tissue samples are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Fast
- Friedrich-Loeffler Institut/INEID, 17493 Insel Riems, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-38351-71274
| | | | - Martin Kaatz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Tammy Kaatz
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z4, Canada
| | - Kendra MacPherson
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Ute Ziegler
- Friedrich-Loeffler Institut/INEID, 17493 Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Czub
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z4, Canada
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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13
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Tranulis MA, Tryland M. The Zoonotic Potential of Chronic Wasting Disease-A Review. Foods 2023; 12:foods12040824. [PMID: 36832899 PMCID: PMC9955994 DOI: 10.3390/foods12040824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that affect humans and ruminant species consumed by humans. Ruminant prion diseases include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, scrapie in sheep and goats and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. In 1996, prions causing BSE were identified as the cause of a new prion disease in humans; variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). This sparked a food safety crisis and unprecedented protective measures to reduce human exposure to livestock prions. CWD continues to spread in North America, and now affects free-ranging and/or farmed cervids in 30 US states and four Canadian provinces. The recent discovery in Europe of previously unrecognized CWD strains has further heightened concerns about CWD as a food pathogen. The escalating CWD prevalence in enzootic areas and its appearance in a new species (reindeer) and new geographical locations, increase human exposure and the risk of CWD strain adaptation to humans. No cases of human prion disease caused by CWD have been recorded, and most experimental data suggest that the zoonotic risk of CWD is very low. However, the understanding of these diseases is still incomplete (e.g., origin, transmission properties and ecology), suggesting that precautionary measures should be implemented to minimize human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Tranulis
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 5003 As, Norway
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +47-67232040
| | - Morten Tryland
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2480 Koppang, Norway
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14
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Esmaili M, Eldeeb M. Cellular toxicity of scrapie prions in prion diseases; a biochemical and molecular overview. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:1743-1752. [PMID: 36446981 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07806-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases consist of a broad range of fatal neurological disorders affecting humans and animals. Contrary to Watson and Crick's 'central dogma', prion diseases are caused by a protein, devoid of DNA involvement. Herein, we briefly review various cellular and biological aspects of prions and prion pathogenesis focusing mainly on historical milestones, biosynthesis, degradation, structure-function of cellular and scrapie forms of prions .
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoore Esmaili
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Mohamed Eldeeb
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
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15
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Silva CJ, Cassmann ED, Greenlee JJ, Erickson-Beltran ML, Requena JR. A Mass Spectrometry-Based Method of Quantifying the Contribution of the Lysine Polymorphism at Position 171 in Sheep PrP. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:245-254. [PMID: 36622794 PMCID: PMC9897214 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In sheep, the transmissibility and progression of scrapie, a sheep prion (PrPSc) disease, is strongly dependent upon specific amino acid polymorphisms in the natively expressed prion protein (PrPC). Sheep expressing PrPC with lysine (K) polymorphism at position 171 (K171) are partially resistant to oronasal dosing of classical sheep scrapie. In addition, scrapie infected sheep expressing the K171 polymorphism show a longer incubation period compared to sheep homozygous (glutamine (Q)) at position 171. Quantitating the amount of the K171 polymorphism in a sheep scrapie sample can provide important information on the composition of PrPSc. A tryptic peptide, 159R.YPNQVYYRPVDK.Y172, derived from the digestion of 171K recombinant PrP, was identified as an analyte peptide suitable for a multiple reaction monitoring-based analysis. This method, using 15N-labeled analogs and another internal peptide from the proteinase K-resistant core, permits the simultaneous quantitation of the total amount of PrP and the proportion of K171 polymorphism in the sample. Background molecules with similar retention times and transitions were present in samples from scrapie-infected sheep. Proteinase K digestion followed by ultracentrifugation-based isolation or phosphotungstic acid-based isolation were employed to minimize the contribution of those background molecules, making this approach suitable for quantitating the amount of the K171 polymorphism in heterozygous scrapie infected sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Silva
- Produce
Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center,
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, California 94710, United States of America
| | - Eric D. Cassmann
- Virus
and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural
Research Service, United States Department
of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa 50010, United
States of America
| | - Justin J. Greenlee
- Virus
and Prion Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural
Research Service, United States Department
of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa 50010, United
States of America
| | - Melissa L. Erickson-Beltran
- Produce
Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, Western Regional Research Center,
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, California 94710, United States of America
| | - Jésus R. Requena
- CIMUS
Biomedical Research Institute & Department of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela−IDIS, 15782 Santiago
de Compostela, Spain
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16
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Huntingtin and Other Neurodegeneration-Associated Proteins in the Development of Intracellular Pathologies: Potential Target Search for Therapeutic Intervention. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415533. [PMID: 36555175 PMCID: PMC9779313 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are currently incurable. Numerous experimental data accumulated over the past fifty years have brought us closer to understanding the molecular and cell mechanisms responsible for their development. However, these data are not enough for a complete understanding of the genesis of these diseases, nor to suggest treatment methods. It turns out that many cellular pathologies developing during neurodegeneration coincide from disease to disease. These observations give hope to finding a common intracellular target(s) and to offering a universal method of treatment. In this review, we attempt to analyze data on similar cellular disorders among neurodegenerative diseases in general, and polyglutamine neurodegenerative diseases in particular, focusing on the interaction of various proteins involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases with various cellular organelles. The main purposes of this review are: (1) to outline the spectrum of common intracellular pathologies and to answer the question of whether it is possible to find potential universal target(s) for therapeutic intervention; (2) to identify specific intracellular pathologies and to speculate about a possible general approach for their treatment.
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17
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Lee KY. Common immunopathogenesis of central nervous system diseases: the protein-homeostasis-system hypothesis. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:184. [PMCID: PMC9668226 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00920-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThere are hundreds of central nervous system (CNS) diseases, but there are few diseases for which the etiology or pathogenesis is understood as well as those of other organ-specific diseases. Cells in the CNS are selectively protected from external and internal insults by the blood–brain barrier. Thus, the neuroimmune system, including microglia and immune proteins, might control external or internal insults that the adaptive immune system cannot control or mitigate. The pathologic findings differ by disease and show a state of inflammation that reflects the relationship between etiological or inflammation-inducing substances and corresponding immune reactions. Current immunological concepts about infectious diseases and infection-associated immune-mediated diseases, including those in the CNS, can only partly explain the pathophysiology of disease because they are based on the idea that host cell injury is caused by pathogens. Because every disease involves etiological or triggering substances for disease-onset, the protein-homeostasis-system (PHS) hypothesis proposes that the immune systems in the host control those substances according to the size and biochemical properties of the substances. In this article, I propose a common immunopathogenesis of CNS diseases, including prion diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and genetic diseases, through the PHS hypothesis.
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18
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Tarutani A, Adachi T, Akatsu H, Hashizume Y, Hasegawa K, Saito Y, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Yoshida M, Murayama S, Hasegawa M. Ultrastructural and biochemical classification of pathogenic tau, α-synuclein and TDP-43. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:613-640. [PMID: 35513543 PMCID: PMC9107452 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulation of abnormal proteins with conformational changes is the defining neuropathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases. The pathogenic proteins that accumulate in patients' brains adopt an amyloid-like fibrous structure and exhibit various ultrastructural features. The biochemical analysis of pathogenic proteins in sarkosyl-insoluble fractions extracted from patients' brains also shows disease-specific features. Intriguingly, these ultrastructural and biochemical features are common within the same disease group. These differences among the pathogenic proteins extracted from patients' brains have important implications for definitive diagnosis of the disease, and also suggest the existence of pathogenic protein strains that contribute to the heterogeneity of pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent experimental evidence has shown that prion-like propagation of these pathogenic proteins from host cells to recipient cells underlies the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The reproduction of the pathological features that characterize each disease in cellular and animal models of prion-like propagation also implies that the structural differences in the pathogenic proteins are inherited in a prion-like manner. In this review, we summarize the ultrastructural and biochemical features of pathogenic proteins extracted from the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases that accumulate abnormal forms of tau, α-synuclein, and TDP-43, and we discuss how these disease-specific properties are maintained in the brain, based on recent experimental insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tadashi Adachi
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori, 683-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Akatsu
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
- Department of Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshio Hashizume
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
| | - Kazuko Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.
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19
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Kroll F, Dimitriadis A, Campbell T, Darwent L, Collinge J, Mead S, Vire E. Prion protein gene mutation detection using long-read Nanopore sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8284. [PMID: 35585119 PMCID: PMC9117325 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12130-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative conditions that affect humans and animals. Rapid and accurate sequencing of the prion gene PRNP is paramount to human prion disease diagnosis and for animal surveillance programmes. Current methods for PRNP genotyping involve sequencing of small fragments within the protein-coding region. The contribution of variants in the non-coding regions of PRNP including large structural changes is poorly understood. Here, we used long-range PCR and Nanopore sequencing to sequence the full length of PRNP, including its regulatory region, in 25 samples from blood and brain of individuals with inherited or sporadic prion diseases. Nanopore sequencing detected the same variants as identified by Sanger sequencing, including repeat expansions/deletions. Nanopore identified additional single-nucleotide variants in the non-coding regions of PRNP, but no novel structural variants were discovered. Finally, we explored somatic mosaicism of PRNP's octapeptide repeat region, which is a hypothetical cause of sporadic prion disease. While we found changes consistent with somatic mutations, we demonstrate that they may have been generated by the PCR. Our study illustrates the accuracy of Nanopore sequencing for rapid and field prion disease diagnosis and highlights the need for single-molecule sequencing methods for the detection of somatic mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Kroll
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - Athanasios Dimitriadis
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - Tracy Campbell
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - Lee Darwent
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - John Collinge
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
| | - Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
| | - Emmanuelle Vire
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, W1W 7FF UK
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20
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Abstract
Amyloids are organized suprastructural polypeptide arrangements. The prevalence of amyloid-related processes of pathophysiological relevance has been linked to aging-related degenerative diseases. Besides the role of genetic polymorphisms on the relative risk of amyloid diseases, the contributions of nongenetic ontogenic cluster of factors remain elusive. In recent decades, mounting evidences have been suggesting the role of essential micronutrients, in particular transition metals, in the regulation of amyloidogenic processes, both directly (such as binding to amyloid proteins) or indirectly (such as regulating regulatory partners, processing enzymes, and membrane transporters). The features of transition metals as regulatory cofactors of amyloid proteins and the consequences of metal dyshomeostasis in triggering amyloidogenic processes, as well as the evidences showing amelioration of symptoms by dietary supplementation, suggest an exaptative role of metals in regulating amyloid pathways. The self- and cross-talk replicative nature of these amyloid processes along with their systemic distribution support the concept of their metastatic nature. The role of amyloidosis as nutrient sensors would act as intra- and transgenerational epigenetic metabolic programming factors determining health span and life span, viability, which could participate as an evolutive selective pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Maurício T R Lima
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - pbiotech, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory for Macromolecules (LAMAC-DIMAV), National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology - INMETRO, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tháyna Sisnande
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - pbiotech, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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21
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Roy M, Nath AK, Pal I, Dey SG. Second Sphere Interactions in Amyloidogenic Diseases. Chem Rev 2022; 122:12132-12206. [PMID: 35471949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Amyloids are protein aggregates bearing a highly ordered cross β structural motif, which may be functional but are mostly pathogenic. Their formation, deposition in tissues and consequent organ dysfunction is the central event in amyloidogenic diseases. Such protein aggregation may be brought about by conformational changes, and much attention has been directed toward factors like metal binding, post-translational modifications, mutations of protein etc., which eventually affect the reactivity and cytotoxicity of the associated proteins. Over the past decade, a global effort from different groups working on these misfolded/unfolded proteins/peptides has revealed that the amino acid residues in the second coordination sphere of the active sites of amyloidogenic proteins/peptides cause changes in H-bonding pattern or protein-protein interactions, which dramatically alter the structure and reactivity of these proteins/peptides. These second sphere effects not only determine the binding of transition metals and cofactors, which define the pathology of some of these diseases, but also change the mechanism of redox reactions catalyzed by these proteins/peptides and form the basis of oxidative damage associated with these amyloidogenic diseases. The present review seeks to discuss such second sphere modifications and their ramifications in the etiopathology of some representative amyloidogenic diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2Dm), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuparna Roy
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Arnab Kumar Nath
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Ishita Pal
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Somdatta Ghosh Dey
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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22
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Han ZZ, Kang SG, Arce L, Westaway D. Prion-like strain effects in tauopathies. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:179-199. [PMID: 35460367 PMCID: PMC9034081 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that plays crucial roles in physiology and pathophysiology. In the realm of dementia, tau protein misfolding is associated with a wide spectrum of clinicopathologically diverse neurodegenerative diseases, collectively known as tauopathies. As proposed by the tau strain hypothesis, the intrinsic heterogeneity of tauopathies may be explained by the existence of structurally distinct tau conformers, “strains”. Tau strains can differ in their associated clinical features, neuropathological profiles, and biochemical signatures. Although prior research into infectious prion proteins offers valuable lessons for studying how a protein-only pathogen can encompass strain diversity, the underlying mechanism by which tau subtypes are generated remains poorly understood. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding different tau conformers through in vivo and in vitro experimental paradigms, and the implications of heterogeneity of pathological tau species for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Zhuang Han
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Luis Arce
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, 204 Brain and Aging Research Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2M8, Canada. .,Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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23
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Khadka A, Spiers JG, Cheng L, Hill AF. Extracellular vesicles with diagnostic and therapeutic potential for prion diseases. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:247-267. [PMID: 35394216 PMCID: PMC10113352 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03621-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases (PrD) or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) are invariably fatal and pathogenic neurodegenerative disorders caused by the self-propagated misfolding of cellular prion protein (PrPC) to the neurotoxic pathogenic form (PrPTSE) via a yet undefined but profoundly complex mechanism. Despite several decades of research on PrD, the basic understanding of where and how PrPC is transformed to the misfolded, aggregation-prone and pathogenic PrPTSE remains elusive. The primary clinical hallmarks of PrD include vacuolation-associated spongiform changes and PrPTSE accumulation in neural tissue together with astrogliosis. The difficulty in unravelling the disease mechanisms has been related to the rare occurrence and long incubation period (over decades) followed by a very short clinical phase (few months). Additional challenge in unravelling the disease is implicated to the unique nature of the agent, its complexity and strain diversity, resulting in the heterogeneity of the clinical manifestations and potentially diverse disease mechanisms. Recent advances in tissue isolation and processing techniques have identified novel means of intercellular communication through extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contribute to PrPTSE transmission in PrD. This review will comprehensively discuss PrPTSE transmission and neurotoxicity, focusing on the role of EVs in disease progression, biomarker discovery and potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of PrD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Khadka
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Jereme G Spiers
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Lesley Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Andrew F Hill
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia. .,Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray, VIC, Australia.
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24
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Wagner K, Pierce R, Gordon E, Hay A, Lessard A, Telling GC, Ballard JR, Moreno JA, Zabel MD. Tissue-specific biochemical differences between chronic wasting disease prions isolated from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101834. [PMID: 35304100 PMCID: PMC9019250 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invariably fatal prion disease affecting cervid species worldwide. Prions can manifest as distinct strains that can influence disease pathology and transmission. CWD is profoundly lymphotropic, and most infected cervids likely shed peripheral prions replicated in lymphoid organs. However, CWD is a neurodegenerative disease, and most research on prion strains has focused on neurogenic prions. Thus, a knowledge gap exists comparing neurogenic prions to lymphogenic prions. In this study, we compared prions from the obex and lymph nodes of naturally exposed white-tailed deer to identify potential biochemical strain differences. Here, we report biochemical evidence of strain differences between the brain and lymph node from these animals. Conformational stability assays, glycoform ratio analyses, and immunoreactivity scanning across the structured domain of the prion protein that refolds into the amyloid aggregate of the infectious prion reveal significantly more structural and glycoform variation in lymphogenic prions than neurogenic prions. Surprisingly, we observed greater biochemical differences among neurogenic prions than lymphogenic prions across individuals. We propose that the lymphoreticular system propagates a diverse array of prions from which the brain selects a more restricted pool of prions that may be quite different than those from another individual of the same species. Future work should examine the biological and zoonotic impact of these biochemical differences and examine more cervids from multiple locations to determine if these differences are conserved across species and locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Wagner
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Robyn Pierce
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gordon
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Arielle Hay
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Avery Lessard
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Glenn C. Telling
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Ballard
- Research Division, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Julie A. Moreno
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Mark D. Zabel
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA,For correspondence: Mark D. Zabel
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25
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Heumüller SE, Hornberger AC, Hebestreit AS, Hossinger A, Vorberg IM. Propagation and Dissemination Strategies of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Agents in Mammalian Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23062909. [PMID: 35328330 PMCID: PMC8949484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23062909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies or prion disorders are fatal infectious diseases that cause characteristic spongiform degeneration in the central nervous system. The causative agent, the so-called prion, is an unconventional infectious agent that propagates by converting the host-encoded cellular prion protein PrP into ordered protein aggregates with infectious properties. Prions are devoid of coding nucleic acid and thus rely on the host cell machinery for propagation. While it is now established that, in addition to PrP, other cellular factors or processes determine the susceptibility of cell lines to prion infection, exact factors and cellular processes remain broadly obscure. Still, cellular models have uncovered important aspects of prion propagation and revealed intercellular dissemination strategies shared with other intracellular pathogens. Here, we summarize what we learned about the processes of prion invasion, intracellular replication and subsequent dissemination from ex vivo cell models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie-Elisabeth Heumüller
- Laboratory of Prion Cell Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Bonn (DZNE e.V.), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (S.-E.H.); (A.C.H.); (A.S.H.); (A.H.)
| | - Annika C. Hornberger
- Laboratory of Prion Cell Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Bonn (DZNE e.V.), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (S.-E.H.); (A.C.H.); (A.S.H.); (A.H.)
| | - Alina S. Hebestreit
- Laboratory of Prion Cell Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Bonn (DZNE e.V.), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (S.-E.H.); (A.C.H.); (A.S.H.); (A.H.)
| | - André Hossinger
- Laboratory of Prion Cell Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Bonn (DZNE e.V.), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (S.-E.H.); (A.C.H.); (A.S.H.); (A.H.)
| | - Ina M. Vorberg
- Laboratory of Prion Cell Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Bonn (DZNE e.V.), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (S.-E.H.); (A.C.H.); (A.S.H.); (A.H.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Siegmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence:
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26
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Bujdoso R, Smith A, Fleck O, Spiropoulos J, Andréoletti O, Thackray AM. Prion disease modelled in Drosophila. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:47-62. [PMID: 35092497 PMCID: PMC10113284 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPrion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative conditions of humans and various vertebrate species that are transmissible between individuals of the same or different species. A novel infectious moiety referred to as a prion is considered responsible for transmission of these conditions. Prion replication is believed to be the cause of the neurotoxicity that arises during prion disease pathogenesis. The prion hypothesis predicts that the transmissible prion agent consists of PrPSc, which is comprised of aggregated misfolded conformers of the normal host protein PrPC. It is important to understand the biology of transmissible prions and to identify genetic modifiers of prion-induced neurotoxicity. This information will underpin the development of therapeutic and control strategies for human and animal prion diseases. The most reliable method to detect prion infectivity is by in vivo transmission in a suitable experimental host, which to date have been mammalian species. Current prion bioassays are slow, cumbersome and relatively insensitive to low titres of prion infectivity, and do not lend themselves to rapid genetic analysis of prion disease. Here, we provide an overview of our novel studies that have led to the establishment of Drosophila melanogaster, a genetically well-defined invertebrate host, as a sensitive, versatile and economically viable animal model for the detection of mammalian prion infectivity and genetic modifiers of prion-induced toxicity.
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27
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Mohammadi B, Song F, Matamoros-Angles A, Shafiq M, Damme M, Puig B, Glatzel M, Altmeppen HC. Anchorless risk or released benefit? An updated view on the ADAM10-mediated shedding of the prion protein. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:215-234. [PMID: 35084572 PMCID: PMC10113312 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03582-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP) is a broadly expressed glycoprotein linked with a multitude of (suggested) biological and pathological implications. Some of these roles seem to be due to constitutively generated proteolytic fragments of the protein. Among them is a soluble PrP form, which is released from the surface of neurons and other cell types by action of the metalloprotease ADAM10 in a process termed 'shedding'. The latter aspect is the focus of this review, which aims to provide a comprehensive overview on (i) the relevance of proteolytic processing in regulating cellular PrP functions, (ii) currently described involvement of shed PrP in neurodegenerative diseases (including prion diseases and Alzheimer's disease), (iii) shed PrP's expected roles in intercellular communication in many more (patho)physiological conditions (such as stroke, cancer or immune responses), (iv) and the need for improved research tools in respective (future) studies. Deeper mechanistic insight into roles played by PrP shedding and its resulting fragment may pave the way for improved diagnostics and future therapeutic approaches in diseases of the brain and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- Working Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology (INI Research), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Feizhi Song
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreu Matamoros-Angles
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Damme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Department of Neurology, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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28
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Kovač V, Čurin Šerbec V. Prion Protein: The Molecule of Many Forms and Faces. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031232. [PMID: 35163156 PMCID: PMC8835406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein most abundantly found in the outer membrane of neurons. Due to structural characteristics (a flexible tail and structured core), PrPC interacts with a wide range of partners. Although PrPC has been proposed to be involved in many physiological functions, only peripheral nerve myelination homeostasis has been confirmed as a bona fide function thus far. PrPC misfolding causes prion diseases and PrPC has been shown to mediate β-rich oligomer-induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as neuroprotection in ischemia. Upon proteolytic cleavage, PrPC is transformed into released and attached forms of PrP that can, depending on the contained structural characteristics of PrPC, display protective or toxic properties. In this review, we will outline prion protein and prion protein fragment properties as well as overview their involvement with interacting partners and signal pathways in myelination, neuroprotection and neurodegenerative diseases.
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29
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Sakaguchi S, Hara H. The first non-prion pathogen identified: neurotropic influenza virus. Prion 2022; 16:1-6. [PMID: 34978525 PMCID: PMC8741280 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2021.2015224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular isoform of prion protein, designated PrPC, is a membrane glycoprotein expressed most abundantly in the brain, particularly by neurons, and its conformational conversion into the abnormally folded, amyloidogenic isoform, PrPSc, is an underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of prion diseases, a group of neurodegenerative disorders in humans and animals. Most cases of these diseases are sporadic and their aetiologies are unknown. We recently found that a neurotropic strain of influenza A virus (IAV/WSN) caused the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc and the subsequent formation of infectious prions in mouse neuroblastoma cells after infection. These results show that IAV/WSN is the first non-prion pathogen capable of inducing the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc and propagating infectious prions in cultured neuronal cells, and also provide the intriguing possibility that IAV infection in neurons might be a cause of or be associated with sporadic prion diseases. Here, we present our findings of the IAV/WSN-induced conversion of PrPC into PrPSc and subsequent propagation of infectious prions, and also discuss the biological significance of the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc in virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suehiro Sakaguchi
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, The Institute for Enzyme Research (KOSOKEN), Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Hara
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, The Institute for Enzyme Research (KOSOKEN), Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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30
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Cazzaniga FA, Bistaffa E, De Luca CMG, Portaleone SM, Catania M, Redaelli V, Tramacere I, Bufano G, Rossi M, Caroppo P, Giovagnoli AR, Tiraboschi P, Di Fede G, Eleopra R, Devigili G, Elia AE, Cilia R, Fiorini M, Bongianni M, Salzano G, Celauro L, Quarta FG, Mammana A, Legname G, Tagliavini F, Parchi P, Zanusso G, Giaccone G, Moda F. PMCA-Based Detection of Prions in the Olfactory Mucosa of Patients With Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:848991. [PMID: 35401151 PMCID: PMC8990253 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.848991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by the conformational conversion of the prion protein (PrPC) into an abnormally folded form, named prion (or PrPSc). The combination of the polymorphism at codon 129 of the PrP gene (coding either methionine or valine) with the biochemical feature of the proteinase-K resistant PrP (generating either PrPSc type 1 or 2) gives rise to different PrPSc strains, which cause variable phenotypes of sCJD. The definitive diagnosis of sCJD and its classification can be achieved only post-mortem after PrPSc identification and characterization in the brain. By exploiting the Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) assay, traces of PrPSc were found in the olfactory mucosa (OM) of sCJD patients, thus demonstrating that PrPSc is not confined to the brain. Here, we have optimized another technique, named protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) for detecting PrPSc in OM samples of sCJD patients. OM samples were collected from 27 sCJD and 2 genetic CJD patients (E200K). Samples from 34 patients with other neurodegenerative disorders were included as controls. Brains were collected from 26 sCJD patients and 16 of them underwent OM collection. Brain and OM samples were subjected to PMCA using the brains of transgenic mice expressing human PrPC with methionine at codon 129 as reaction substrates. The amplified products were analyzed by Western blot after proteinase K digestion. Quantitative PMCA was performed to estimate PrPSc concentration in OM. PMCA enabled the detection of prions in OM samples with 79.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Except for a few cases, a predominant type 1 PrPSc was generated, regardless of the tissues analyzed. Notably, all amplified PrPSc were less resistant to PK compared to the original strain. In conclusion, although the optimized PMCA did not consent to recognize sCJD subtypes from the analysis of OM collected from living patients, it enabled us to estimate for the first time the amount of prions accumulating in this biological tissue. Further assay optimizations are needed to faithfully amplify peripheral prions whose recognition could lead to a better diagnosis and selection of patients for future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Angelo Cazzaniga
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Maria Giulia De Luca
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Sara Maria Portaleone
- Department of Health Sciences, Otolaryngology Unit, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Catania
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Redaelli
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Tramacere
- Department of Research and Clinical Development, Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bufano
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Rossi
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Caroppo
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Giovagnoli
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Tiraboschi
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Fede
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Eleopra
- Unit of Neurology 1 - Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Grazia Devigili
- Unit of Neurology 1 - Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Emanuele Elia
- Unit of Neurology 1 - Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Cilia
- Unit of Neurology 1 - Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Fiorini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Matilde Bongianni
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giulia Salzano
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Luigi Celauro
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Giuseppe Quarta
- Department of Health Sciences, Otolaryngology Unit, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Mammana
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna (ISNB), Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Tagliavini
- Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna (ISNB), Bologna, Italy.,Department of Diagnostic Experimental and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Moda
- Unit of Neurology 5 and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Prion Protein Biology Through the Lens of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167368. [PMID: 34808226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Conformational conversion of the α-helix-rich cellular prion protein into the misfolded, β-rich, aggregated, scrapie form underlies the molecular basis of prion diseases that represent a class of invariably fatal, untreatable, and transmissible neurodegenerative diseases. However, despite the extensive and rigorous research, there is a significant gap in the understanding of molecular mechanisms that contribute to prion pathogenesis. In this review, we describe the historical perspective of the development of the prion concept and the current state of knowledge of prion biology including structural, molecular, and cellular aspects of the prion protein. We then summarize the putative functional role of the N-terminal intrinsically disordered segment of the prion protein. We next describe the ongoing efforts in elucidating the prion phase behavior and the emerging role of liquid-liquid phase separation that can have potential functional relevance and can offer an alternate non-canonical pathway involving conformational conversion into a disease-associated form. We also attempt to shed light on the evolutionary perspective of the prion protein highlighting the potential role of intrinsic disorder in prion protein biology and summarize a few important questions associated with the phase transitions of the prion protein. Delving deeper into these key aspects can pave the way for a detailed understanding of the critical molecular determinants of the prion phase transition and its relevance to physiology and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Virus Infection, Genetic Mutations, and Prion Infection in Prion Protein Conversion. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212439. [PMID: 34830321 PMCID: PMC8624980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Conformational conversion of the cellular isoform of prion protein, PrPC, into the abnormally folded, amyloidogenic isoform, PrPSc, is an underlying pathogenic mechanism in prion diseases. The diseases manifest as sporadic, hereditary, and acquired disorders. Etiological mechanisms driving the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc are unknown in sporadic prion diseases, while prion infection and specific mutations in the PrP gene are known to cause the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc in acquired and hereditary prion diseases, respectively. We recently reported that a neurotropic strain of influenza A virus (IAV) induced the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc as well as formation of infectious prions in mouse neuroblastoma cells after infection, suggesting the causative role of the neuronal infection of IAV in sporadic prion diseases. Here, we discuss the conversion mechanism of PrPC into PrPSc in different types of prion diseases, by presenting our findings of the IAV infection-induced conversion of PrPC into PrPSc and by reviewing the so far reported transgenic animal models of hereditary prion diseases and the reverse genetic studies, which have revealed the structure-function relationship for PrPC to convert into PrPSc after prion infection.
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Structural and Computational Study of the GroEL-Prion Protein Complex. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111649. [PMID: 34829878 PMCID: PMC8615626 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular chaperone GroEL is designed to promote protein folding and prevent aggregation. However, the interaction between GroEL and the prion protein, PrPC, could lead to pathogenic transformation of the latter to the aggregation-prone PrPSc form. Here, the molecular basis of the interactions in the GroEL-PrP complex is studied with cryo-EM and molecular dynamics approaches. The obtained cryo-EM structure shows PrP to be bound to several subunits of GroEL at the level of their apical domains. According to MD simulations, the disordered N-domain of PrP forms much more intermolecular contacts with GroEL. Upon binding to the GroEL, the N-domain of PrP begins to form short helices, while the C-domain of PrP exhibits a tendency to unfold its α2-helix. In the absence of the nucleotides in the system, these processes are manifested at the hundred nanoseconds to microsecond timescale.
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34
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Cazzaniga FA, Bistaffa E, De Luca CMG, Bufano G, Indaco A, Giaccone G, Moda F. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Real-Time Quaking Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) assay represents a major diagnostic advance. Eur J Histochem 2021; 65. [PMID: 34657408 PMCID: PMC8529530 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2021.3298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder with an incidence of 1.5 to 2 cases per million population/year. The disease is caused by a proteinaceous infectious agent, named prion (or PrPSc), which arises from the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC). Once formed, PrPSc interacts with the normally folded PrPC coercing it to undergo similar structural rearrangement. The disease is highly heterogeneous from a clinical and neuropathological point of view. The origin of this variability lies in the aberrant structures acquired by PrPSc. At least six different sCJD phenotypes have been described and each of them is thought to be caused by a peculiar PrPSc strain. Definitive sCJD diagnosis requires brain analysis with the aim of identifying intracerebral accumulation of PrPSc which currently represents the only reliable biomarker of the disease. Clinical diagnosis of sCJD is very challenging and is based on the combination of several clinical, instrumental and laboratory tests representing surrogate disease biomarkers. Thanks to the advent of the ultrasensitive Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) assay, PrPSc was found in several peripheral tissues of sCJD patients, sometimes even before the clinical onset of the disease. This discovery represents an important step forward for the clinical diagnosis of sCJD. In this manuscript, we present an overview of the current applications and future perspectives of RT-QuIC in the field of sCJD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan.
| | | | - Giuseppe Bufano
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
| | - Antonio Indaco
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan.
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
| | - Fabio Moda
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
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Mouillet-Richard S, Ghazi A, Laurent-Puig P. The Cellular Prion Protein and the Hallmarks of Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13195032. [PMID: 34638517 PMCID: PMC8508458 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13195032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The cellular prion protein PrPC is best known for its involvement, under its pathogenic isoform, in a group of neurodegenerative diseases. Notwithstanding, an emerging role for PrPC in various cancer-associated processes has attracted increasing attention over recent years. PrPC is overexpressed in diverse types of solid cancers and has been incriminated in various aspects of cancer biology, most notably proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis, as well as resistance to cytotoxic agents. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of PrPC with respect to the hallmarks of cancer, a reference framework encompassing the major characteristics of cancer cells. Abstract Beyond its causal involvement in a group of neurodegenerative diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, the cellular prion protein PrPC is now taking centre stage as an important contributor to cancer progression in various types of solid tumours. The prion cancer research field has progressively expanded in the last few years and has yielded consistent evidence for an involvement of PrPC in cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, therapeutic resistance and cancer stem cell properties. Most recent data have uncovered new facets of the biology of PrPC in cancer, ranging from its control on enzymes involved in immune tolerance to its radio-protective activity, by way of promoting angiogenesis. In the present review, we aim to summarise the body of literature dedicated to the study of PrPC in relation to cancer from the perspective of the hallmarks of cancer, the reference framework defined by Hanahan and Weinberg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Mouillet-Richard
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, F-75006 Paris, France; (A.G.); (P.L.-P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alexandre Ghazi
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, F-75006 Paris, France; (A.G.); (P.L.-P.)
| | - Pierre Laurent-Puig
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, F-75006 Paris, France; (A.G.); (P.L.-P.)
- Department of Biology, Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, APHP, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, F-75015 Paris, France
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Chatterjee S, Salimi A, Lee JY. Unraveling the Histidine Tautomerism Effect on the Initial Stages of Prion Misfolding: New Insights from a Computational Perspective. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3203-3213. [PMID: 34382391 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation and structural conversion of normal prion peptide (PrPC) into the pathogenic scrapie form (PrPSc), which can act as a seed to enhance prion amyloid fiber formation, is believed to be a crucial event in prionopathies. Previous research suggests that the prion monomer may play an important role in oligomer generation during disease pathogenesis. In the present study, extensive replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations were conducted to explore the conformational characteristics of the huPrP (125-160) monomer under the histidine tautomerism effect. Investigating the structural characteristics and fibrilization process is challenging because two histidine tautomers [Nε2-H (ε) and Nδ1-H (δ)] can occur in the open neutral state. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation outcomes have shown that the toxic εδ and δδ isomer (containing several and broader local minima) had the highest α-helix structures, with contents of 21.11% and 21.01%, respectively, and may have a strong influence on the organizational behavior of a monomeric prion. The amino acids aspartate 20 (D20)-asparagine 29 (N29) and isoleucine 15 (I15)-histidine 16 (H16), D20-arginine 27 (R27) as well as N29 formed α-helix with the highest probabilities in the δδ and εδ isomer, accordingly. On the basis of our findings, we propose the histidine tautomerization hypothesis as a new prion accumulation mechanism, which may exist to induce the formation of prion accumulates. Overall, our tautomerism hypothesis constitutes a promising perspective for enhancing understanding of prion disease pathobiology and may help in the design of a good inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abbas Salimi
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Korea
| | - Jin Yong Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Korea
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Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into scrapie prion protein (PrPSc). As the main component of prion, PrPSc acts as an infectious template that recruits and converts normal cellular PrPC into its pathogenic, misfolded isoform. Intriguingly, the phenomenon of prionoid, or prion-like, spread has also been observed in many other disease-associated proteins, such as amyloid β (Aβ), tau and α-synuclein. This Cell Science at a Glance and the accompanying poster highlight recently described physiological roles of prion protein and the advanced understanding of pathogenesis of prion disease they have afforded. Importantly, prion protein may also be involved in the pathogenesis of other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Therapeutic studies of prion disease have also exploited novel strategies to combat these devastating diseases. Future studies on prion protein and prion disease will deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihong Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, CH-8091, Switzerland
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Abstract
Glia, the non-neuronal cells of the nervous system, were long considered secondary cells only necessary for supporting the functions of their more important neuronal neighbors. Work by many groups over the past two decades has completely overturned this notion, revealing the myriad and vital functions of glia in nervous system development, plasticity, and health. The largest population of glia outside the brain is in the enteric nervous system, a division of the autonomic nervous system that constitutes a key node of the gut-brain axis. Here, we review the latest in the understanding of these enteric glia in mammals with a focus on their putative roles in human health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry J. Rosenberg
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Meenakshi Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Arshad H, Patel Z, Mehrabian M, Bourkas MEC, Al-Azzawi ZAM, Schmitt-Ulms G, Watts JC. The aminoglycoside G418 hinders de novo prion infection in cultured cells. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101073. [PMID: 34390689 PMCID: PMC8413896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of prions and the discovery of candidate therapeutics for prion disease have been facilitated by the ability of prions to replicate in cultured cells. Paradigms in which prion proteins from different species are expressed in cells with low or no expression of endogenous prion protein (PrP) have expanded the range of prion strains that can be propagated. In these systems, cells stably expressing a PrP of interest are typically generated via coexpression of a selectable marker and treatment with an antibiotic. Here, we report the unexpected discovery that the aminoglycoside G418 (Geneticin) interferes with the ability of stably transfected cultured cells to become infected with prions. In G418-resistant lines of N2a or CAD5 cells, the presence of G418 reduced levels of protease-resistant PrP following challenge with the RML or 22L strains of mouse prions. G418 also interfered with the infection of cells expressing hamster PrP with the 263K strain of hamster prions. Interestingly, G418 had minimal to no effect on protease-resistant PrP levels in cells with established prion infection, arguing that G418 selectively interferes with de novo prion infection. As G418 treatment had no discernible effect on cellular PrP levels or its localization, this suggests that G418 may specifically target prion assemblies or processes involved in the earliest stages of prion infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Arshad
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zeel Patel
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohadeseh Mehrabian
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew E C Bourkas
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zaid A M Al-Azzawi
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Polido SA, Kamps J, Tatzelt J. Biological Functions of the Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminal Domain of the Prion Protein: A Possible Role of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1201. [PMID: 34439867 PMCID: PMC8391301 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian prion protein (PrPC) is composed of a large intrinsically disordered N-terminal and a structured C-terminal domain, containing three alpha-helical regions and a short, two-stranded beta-sheet. Traditionally, the activity of a protein was linked to the ability of the polypeptide chain to adopt a stable secondary/tertiary structure. This concept has been extended when it became evident that intrinsically disordered domains (IDDs) can participate in a broad range of defined physiological activities and play a major functional role in several protein classes including transcription factors, scaffold proteins, and signaling molecules. This ability of IDDs to engage in a variety of supramolecular complexes may explain the large number of PrPC-interacting proteins described. Here, we summarize diverse physiological and pathophysiological activities that have been described for the unstructured N-terminal domain of PrPC. In particular, we focus on subdomains that have been conserved in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella A. Polido
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
| | - Janine Kamps
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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Block AJ, Shikiya RA, Eckland TE, Kincaid AE, Walters RW, Ma J, Bartz JC. Efficient interspecies transmission of synthetic prions. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009765. [PMID: 34260664 PMCID: PMC8312972 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are comprised solely of PrPSc, the misfolded self-propagating conformation of the cellular protein, PrPC. Synthetic prions are generated in vitro from minimal components and cause bona fide prion disease in animals. It is unknown, however, if synthetic prions can cross the species barrier following interspecies transmission. To investigate this, we inoculated Syrian hamsters with murine synthetic prions. We found that all the animals inoculated with murine synthetic prions developed prion disease characterized by a striking uniformity of clinical onset and signs of disease. Serial intraspecies transmission resulted in a rapid adaptation to hamsters. During the adaptation process, PrPSc electrophoretic migration, glycoform ratios, conformational stability and biological activity as measured by protein misfolding cyclic amplification remained constant. Interestingly, the strain that emerged shares a strikingly similar transmission history, incubation period, clinical course of disease, pathology and biochemical and biological features of PrPSc with 139H, a hamster adapted form of the murine strain 139A. Combined, these data suggest that murine synthetic prions are comprised of bona fide PrPSc with 139A-like strain properties that efficiently crosses the species barrier and rapidly adapts to hamsters resulting in the emergence of a single strain. The efficiency and specificity of interspecies transmission of murine synthetic prions to hamsters, with relevance to brain derived prions, could be a useful model for identification of structure function relationships between PrPSc and PrPC from different species. Prions have zoonotic potential as illustrated by the interspecies transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to humans resulting in the emergence of a novel human prion disease. It is unknown if other prion diseases of animals, such as chronic wasting disease, can be transmitted to other species. Models to predict prion zoonotic potential do not exist, in part, due to the lack of understanding of how the structure of PrPSc from one species can convert PrPC from another species. Towards this end, we determined that murine synthetic prions, made from minimal components, can efficiently establish infection in hamsters whose transmission history, clinical features, pathology and biochemical properties of PrPSc are consistent with the reisolation of a known prion strain. We conclude that murine synthetic prions can recapitulate interspecies transmission and adaptation allowing for a more detailed mechanistic analysis in a simplified, trackable system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa J. Block
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Ronald A. Shikiya
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Thomas E. Eckland
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Anthony E. Kincaid
- Department of Pharmacy Science, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Ryan W. Walters
- Department of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Van Andel Institute, Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Jason C. Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Bartz JC. Environmental and host factors that contribute to prion strain evolution. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:5-16. [PMID: 33899132 PMCID: PMC8932343 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02310-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Prions are novel pathogens that are composed entirely of PrPSc, the self-templating conformation of the host prion protein, PrPC. Prion strains are operationally defined as a heritable phenotype of disease that are encoded by strain-specific conformations of PrPSc. The factors that influence the relative distribution of strains in a population are only beginning to be understood. For prions with an infectious etiology, environmental factors, such as strain-specific binding to surfaces and resistance to weathering, can influence which strains are available for transmission to a naïve host. Strain-specific differences in efficiency of infection by natural routes of infection can also select for prion strains. The host amino acid sequence of PrPC has the greatest effect on dictating the repertoire of prion strains. The relative abundance of PrPC, post-translational modifications of PrPC and cellular co-factors involved in prion conversion can also provide conditions that favor the prevalence of a subset of prion strains. Additionally, prion strains can interfere with each other, influencing the emergence of a dominant strain. Overall, both environmental and host factors may influence the repertoire and distribution of strains within a population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason C Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA.
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43
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Brunori M. From Kuru to Alzheimer: A personal outlook. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1776-1792. [PMID: 34118168 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Seventy years ago, we learned from Chris Anfinsen that the stereochemical code necessary to fold a protein is embedded into its amino acid sequence. In water, protein morphogenesis is a spontaneous reversible process leading from an ensemble of disordered structures to the ordered functionally competent protein; conforming to Aristotle's definition of substance, the synolon of matter and form. The overall process of folding is generally consistent with a two state transition between the native and the denatured protein: not only the denatured state is an ensemble of several structures, but also the native protein populates distinct functionally relevant conformational (sub)states. This two-state view should be revised, given that any globular protein can populate a peculiar third state called amyloid, characterized by an overall architecture that at variance with the native state, is by-and-large independent of the primary structure. In a nut shell, we should accept that beside the folded and unfolded states, any protein can populate a third state called amyloid which gained center stage being the hallmark of incurable neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases as well as others. These fatal diseases are characterized by clear-cut clinical differences, yet display some commonalities such as the presence in the brain of amyloid deposits constituted by one misfolded protein specific for each disease. Some aspects of this complex problem are summarized here as an excursus from the prion's fibrils observed in the brain of aborigines who died of Kuru to the amyloid detectable in the cortex of Alzheimer's patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Brunori
- Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche "A. Rossi Fanelli,", Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
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Carlson GA, Prusiner SB. How an Infection of Sheep Revealed Prion Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4861. [PMID: 34064393 PMCID: PMC8125442 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although it is not yet universally accepted that all neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are prion disorders, there is little disagreement that Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and other NDs are a consequence of protein misfolding, aggregation, and spread. This widely accepted perspective arose from the prion hypothesis, which resulted from investigations on scrapie, a common transmissible disease of sheep and goats. The prion hypothesis argued that the causative infectious agent of scrapie was a novel proteinaceous pathogen devoid of functional nucleic acids and distinct from viruses, viroids, and bacteria. At the time, it seemed impossible that an infectious agent like the one causing scrapie could replicate and exist as diverse microbiological strains without nucleic acids. However, aggregates of a misfolded host-encoded protein, designated the prion protein (PrP), were shown to be the cause of scrapie as well as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), which are similar NDs in humans. This review discusses historical research on diseases caused by PrP misfolding, emphasizing principles of pathogenesis that were later found to be core features of other NDs. For example, the discovery that familial prion diseases can be caused by mutations in PrP was important for understanding prion replication and disease susceptibility not only for rare PrP diseases but also for far more common NDs involving other proteins. We compare diseases caused by misfolding and aggregation of APP-derived Aβ peptides, tau, and α-synuclein with PrP prion disorders and argue for the classification of NDs caused by misfolding of these proteins as prion diseases. Deciphering the molecular pathogenesis of NDs as prion-mediated has provided new approaches for finding therapies for these intractable, invariably fatal disorders and has revolutionized the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- George A. Carlson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA;
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Stanley B. Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA;
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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Classical and Atypical Scrapie in Sheep and Goats. Review on the Etiology, Genetic Factors, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Control Measures of Both Diseases. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030691. [PMID: 33806658 PMCID: PMC7999988 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, such as scrapie, are neurodegenerative diseases with a fatal outcome, caused by a conformational change of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), originating with the pathogenic form (PrPSc). Classical scrapie in small ruminants is the paradigm of prion diseases, as it was the first transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) described and is the most studied. It is necessary to understand the etiological properties, the relevance of the transmission pathways, the infectivity of the tissues, and how we can improve the detection of the prion protein to encourage detection of the disease. The aim of this review is to perform an overview of classical and atypical scrapie disease in sheep and goats, detailing those special issues of the disease, such as genetic factors, diagnostic procedures, and surveillance approaches carried out in the European Union with the objective of controlling the dissemination of scrapie disease.
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Neuroinflammation in Prion Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042196. [PMID: 33672129 PMCID: PMC7926464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation, typically manifest as microglial activation and astrogliosis accompanied by transcriptomic alterations, represents a common hallmark of various neurodegenerative conditions including prion diseases. Microglia play an overall neuroprotective role in prion disease, whereas reactive astrocytes with aberrant phenotypes propagate prions and contribute to prion-induced neurodegeneration. The existence of heterogeneous subpopulations and dual functions of microglia and astrocytes in prion disease make them potential targets for therapeutic intervention. A variety of neuroinflammation-related molecules are involved in prion pathogenesis. Therapeutics targeting neuroinflammation represents a novel approach to combat prion disease. Deciphering neuroinflammation in prion disease will deepen our understanding of pathogenesis of other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Pineau H, Sim VL. From Cell Culture to Organoids-Model Systems for Investigating Prion Strain Characteristics. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11010106. [PMID: 33466947 PMCID: PMC7830147 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are the hallmark protein folding neurodegenerative disease. Their transmissible nature has allowed for the development of many different cellular models of disease where prion propagation and sometimes pathology can be induced. This review examines the range of simple cell cultures to more complex neurospheres, organoid, and organotypic slice cultures that have been used to study prion disease pathogenesis and to test therapeutics. We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each system, giving special consideration to the importance of strains when choosing a model and when interpreting results, as not all systems propagate all strains, and in some cases, the technique used, or treatment applied, can alter the very strain properties being studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailey Pineau
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada;
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Valerie L. Sim
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada;
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
- Correspondence:
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The Role of Cellular Prion Protein in Promoting Stemness and Differentiation in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020170. [PMID: 33418999 PMCID: PMC7825291 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Aside from its well-established role in prion disorders, in the last decades the significance of cellular prion protein (PrPC) expression in human cancers has attracted great attention. An extensive body of work provided evidence that PrPC contributes to tumorigenesis by regulating tumor growth, differentiation, and resistance to conventional therapies. In particular, PrPC over-expression has been related to the acquisition of a malignant phenotype of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in a variety of solid tumors, encompassing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers, and primary brain tumors as well. According to consensus, increased levels of PrPC endow CSCs with self-renewal, proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities, along with increased resistance to anti-cancer agents. In addition, increasing evidence demonstrates that PrPc also participates in multi-protein complexes to modulate the oncogenic properties of CSCs, thus sustaining tumorigenesis. Therefore, strategies aimed at targeting PrPC and/or PrPC-organized complexes could be a promising approach for anti-cancer therapy. Abstract Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is seminal to modulate a variety of baseline cell functions to grant homeostasis. The classic role of such a protein was defined as a chaperone-like molecule being able to rescue cell survival. Nonetheless, PrPC also represents the precursor of the deleterious misfolded variant known as scrapie prion protein (PrPSc). This variant is detrimental in a variety of prion disorders. This multi-faceted role of PrP is greatly increased by recent findings showing how PrPC in its folded conformation may foster tumor progression by acting at multiple levels. The present review focuses on such a cancer-promoting effect. The manuscript analyzes recent findings on the occurrence of PrPC in various cancers and discusses the multiple effects, which sustain cancer progression. Within this frame, the effects of PrPC on stemness and differentiation are discussed. A special emphasis is provided on the spreading of PrPC and the epigenetic effects, which are induced in neighboring cells to activate cancer-related genes. These detrimental effects are further discussed in relation to the aberrancy of its physiological and beneficial role on cell homeostasis. A specific paragraph is dedicated to the role of PrPC beyond its effects in the biology of cancer to represent a potential biomarker in the follow up of patients following surgical resection.
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Louka A, Zacco E, Temussi PA, Tartaglia GG, Pastore A. RNA as the stone guest of protein aggregation. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:11880-11889. [PMID: 33068411 PMCID: PMC7708036 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of prions as infectious aggregates dates several decades. From its original formulation, the definition of a prion has progressively changed to the point that many aggregation-prone proteins are now considered bona fide prions. RNA molecules, not included in the original 'protein-only hypothesis', are also being recognized as important factors contributing to the 'prion behaviour', that implies the transmissibility of an aberrant fold. In particular, an association has recently emerged between aggregation and the assembly of prion-like proteins in RNA-rich complexes, associated with both physiological and pathological events. Here, we discuss the historical rising of the concept of prion-like domains, their relation to RNA and their role in protein aggregation. As a paradigmatic example, we present the case study of TDP-43, an RNA-binding prion-like protein associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Through this example, we demonstrate how the current definition of prions has incorporated quite different concepts making the meaning of the term richer and more stimulating. An important message that emerges from our analysis is the dual role of RNA in protein aggregation, making RNA, that has been considered for many years a 'silent presence' or the 'stone guest' of protein aggregation, an important component of the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Louka
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the Maurice Wohl Institute of King's College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Elsa Zacco
- Center for Human Technologies, Central RNA laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16152, Italy
| | - Piero Andrea Temussi
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the Maurice Wohl Institute of King's College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
- University “Federico II’’ Napoli, via Cynthia, Napoli 80100, Italy
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Center for Human Technologies, Central RNA laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16152, Italy
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08003, Spain and ICREA, 23 Passeig Lluıs Companys, Barcelona 08010, Spain
- Charles Darwin department of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the Maurice Wohl Institute of King's College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
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Abstract
Prions were initially discovered in studies of scrapie, a transmissible neurodegenerative disease (ND) of sheep and goats thought to be caused by slow viruses. Once scrapie was transmitted to rodents, it was discovered that the scrapie pathogen resisted inactivation by procedures that modify nucleic acids. Eventually, this novel pathogen proved to be a protein of 209 amino acids, which is encoded by a chromosomal gene. After the absence of a nucleic acid within the scrapie agent was established, the mechanism of infectivity posed a conundrum and eliminated a hypothetical virus. Subsequently, the infectious scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) enriched for β-sheet was found to be generated from the cellular prion protein (PrPC) that is predominantly α-helical. The post-translational process that features in nascent prion formation involves a templated conformational change in PrPC that results in an infectious copy of PrPSc. Thus, prions are proteins that adopt alternative conformations, which are self-propagating and found in organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Prions have been found in both Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases. Mutations in APP and α-synuclein genes have been shown to cause familial AD and PD. Recently, AD was found to be a double prion disorder: both Aβ and tau prions feature in this ND. Increasing evidence argues for α-synuclein prions as the cause of PD, multiple system atrophy, and Lewy body dementia.
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