1
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Stress and viral insults do not trigger E200K PrP conversion in human cerebral organoids. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277051. [PMID: 36301953 PMCID: PMC9612459 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of rare, transmissible, and invariably fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect both humans and animals. The cause of these diseases is misfolding of the prion protein into pathological isoforms called prions. Of all human prion diseases, 10-15% of cases are genetic and the E200K mutation, which causes familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), is the most prevalent. For both sporadic and genetic disease, it remains uncertain as to how initial protein misfolding is triggered. Prior studies have linked protein misfolding with oxidative stress insults, deregulated interactions with cellular cofactors, and viral infections. Our previous work developed a cerebral organoid (CO) model using human induced pluripotent stem cells containing the E200K mutation. COs are three-dimensional human neural tissues that permit the study of host genetics and environmental factors that contribute to disease onset. Isogenically matched COs with and without the E200K mutation were used to investigate the propensity of E200K PrP to misfold following cellular insults associated with oxidative stress. Since viral infections have also been associated with oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases, we additionally investigated the influence of Herpes Simplex Type-1 virus (HSV1), a neurotropic virus that establishes life-long latent infection in its host, on E200K PrP misfolding. While COs proved to be highly infectable with HSV1, neither acute nor latent infection, or direct oxidative stress insult, resulted in evidence of E200K prion misfolding. We conclude that misfolding into seeding-active PrP species is not readily induced by oxidative stress or HSV1 in our organoid system.
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Groveman BR, Smith A, Williams K, Haigh CL. Cerebral organoids as a new model for prion disease. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009747. [PMID: 34288977 PMCID: PMC8294539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley R. Groveman
- Prion Cell Biology Unit, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Anna Smith
- Prion Cell Biology Unit, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Katie Williams
- Prion Cell Biology Unit, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Cathryn L. Haigh
- Prion Cell Biology Unit, Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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3
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Angelli JN, Passos YM, Brito JMA, Silva JL, Cordeiro Y, Vieira TCRG. Rabbit PrP Is Partially Resistant to in vitro Aggregation Induced by Different Biological Cofactors. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:689315. [PMID: 34220442 PMCID: PMC8249948 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.689315] [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: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases have been described in humans and other mammals, including sheep, goats, cattle, and deer. Since mice, hamsters, and cats are susceptible to prion infection, they are often used to study the mechanisms of prion infection and conversion. Mammals, such as horses and dogs, however, do not naturally contract the disease and are resistant to infection, while others, like rabbits, have exhibited low susceptibility. Infection involves the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) to the scrapie form (PrPSc), and several cofactors have already been identified as important adjuvants in this process, such as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), lipids, and nucleic acids. The molecular mechanisms that determine transmissibility between species remain unclear, as well as the barriers to transmission. In this study, we examine the interaction of recombinant rabbit PrPC (RaPrP) with different biological cofactors such as GAGs (heparin and dermatan sulfate), phosphatidic acid, and DNA oligonucleotides (A1 and D67) to evaluate the importance of these cofactors in modulating the aggregation of rabbit PrP and explain the animal’s different degrees of resistance to infection. We used spectroscopic and chromatographic approaches to evaluate the interaction with cofactors and their effect on RaPrP aggregation, which we compared with murine PrP (MuPrP). Our data show that all cofactors induce RaPrP aggregation and exhibit pH dependence. However, RaPrP aggregated to a lesser extent than MuPrP in the presence of any of the cofactors tested. The binding affinity with cofactors does not correlate with these low levels of aggregation, suggesting that the latter are related to the stability of PrP at acidic pH. The absence of the N-terminus affected the interaction with cofactors, influencing the efficiency of aggregation. These findings demonstrate that the interaction with polyanionic cofactors is related to rabbit PrP being less susceptible to aggregation in vitro and that the N-terminal domain is important to the efficiency of conversion, increasing the interaction with cofactors. The decreased effect of cofactors in rabbit PrP likely explains its lower propensity to prion conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana N Angelli
- Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yulli M Passos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julyana M A Brito
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jerson L Silva
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yraima Cordeiro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tuane C R G Vieira
- Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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PrPSc Oligomerization Appears Dynamic, Quickly Engendering Inherent M1000 Acute Synaptotoxicity. Biophys J 2020; 119:128-141. [PMID: 32562618 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders pathogenically linked to cellular prion protein (PrPC) misfolding into abnormal conformers (PrPSc), with PrPSc underpinning both transmission and synaptotoxicity. Although the biophysical features of PrPSc required to induce acute synaptic dysfunction remain incompletely defined, we recently reported that acutely synaptotoxic PrPSc appeared to be oligomeric. We herein provide further insights into the kinetic and requisite biophysical characteristics of acutely synaptotoxic ex vivo PrPSc derived from the brains of mice dying from M1000 prion disease. Pooled fractions of M1000 PrPSc located within the molecular weight range approximating monomeric PrP (mM1000) generated through size exclusion chromatography were found to harbor acute synaptotoxicity equivalent to preformed oligomeric fractions (oM1000). Subsequent investigation showed mM1000 corresponded to PrPSc rapidly concatenating in physiological buffer to exist as predominantly, closely associated, small oligomers. The oligomerization of PrP in mM1000 could be substantially mitigated by treatment with the antiaggregation compound epigallocatechin gallate, thereby maintaining the PrPSc as primarily nonoligomeric with completely abrogated acute synaptotoxicity; moreover, despite epigallocatechin gallate treatment, pooled oM1000 remained oligomeric and acutely synaptotoxic. A similar tendency to rapid formation of oligomers was observed for PrPC when monomeric fractions derived from size exclusion chromatography of normal brain homogenates (mNBH) were pooled, but neither mNBH nor preformed higher-order NBH complexes (oNBH) were acutely synaptotoxic. Oligomers formed from mNBH could be reduced to mainly monomers (<100 kDa) after enzymatic digestion of nucleic acids, whereas higher-order PrP assemblies derived from pooled mM1000, oM1000, and oNBH resisted such treatment. Collectively, these findings support that oligomerization of PrPSc into small multimeric assemblies appears to be a critical biophysical feature for engendering inherent acute synaptotoxicity, with preformed oligomers found in oM1000 appearing to be stable, tightly self-associated ensembles that coexist in dynamic equilibrium with mM1000, with the latter appearing capable of rapid aggregation, albeit initially forming smaller, weakly self-associated, acutely synaptotoxic oligomers.
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5
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Bing T, Wang J, Shen L, Liu X, Shangguan D. Prion Protein Targeted by a Prostate Cancer Cell Binding Aptamer, a Potential Tumor Marker? ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:2658-2665. [PMID: 35025400 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cell-SELEX is an effective strategy to discover aptamers that can distinguish the molecular signatures of target cells from control cells. The molecular targets of such aptamers have the potential to be biomarkers. Here, we report target identification of aptamer wy-5a generated by cell-SELEX against a prostate cancer cell line, PC-3. This aptamer specifically binds PC-3 cells and a doxorubicin-resistant breast cell line, MCF-7R, as well as tissue sections of prostate cancer with high risk of metastasis. Prion protein was identified to be the molecular target of wy-5a by stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC)-based quantitative proteomic method. The octapeptide repeat region of prion protein was demonstrated to be the binding site of aptamer wy-5a. The expression levels of prion protein in cancer tissues were further tested by immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections from 48 prostate cancer patients and 98 breast cancer patients. The results suggest that prion protein has the potential to be one of the referenced markers of prostate and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Bing
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junyan Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Luyao Shen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangjun Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dihua Shangguan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Modulation of p53 and prion protein aggregation by RNA. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2019; 1867:933-940. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2019.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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7
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Kovachev PS, Gomes MPB, Cordeiro Y, Ferreira NC, Valadão LPF, Ascari LM, Rangel LP, Silva JL, Sanyal S. RNA modulates aggregation of the recombinant mammalian prion protein by direct interaction. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12406. [PMID: 31455808 PMCID: PMC6712051 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48883-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have proposed that nucleic acids act as potential cofactors for protein aggregation and prionogenesis. By means of sedimentation, transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, static and dynamic light scattering, we have studied how RNA can influence the aggregation of the murine recombinant prion protein (rPrP). We find that RNA, independent of its sequence, source and size, modulates rPrP aggregation in a bimodal fashion, affecting both the extent and the rate of rPrP aggregation in a concentration dependent manner. Analogous to RNA-induced liquid-liquid phase transitions observed for other proteins implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, high protein to RNA ratios stimulate rPrP aggregation, while low ratios suppress it. However, the latter scenario also promotes formation of soluble oligomeric aggregates capable of seeding de novo rPrP aggregation. Furthermore, RNA co-aggregates with rPrP and thereby gains partial protection from RNase digestion. Our results also indicate that rPrP interacts with the RNAs with its N-terminus. In summary, this study elucidates the proposed adjuvant role of RNA in prion protein aggregation and propagation, and thus advocates an auxiliary role of the nucleic acids in protein aggregation in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petar Stefanov Kovachev
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Box-596, 75124, Sweden
| | - Mariana P B Gomes
- Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos, Bio-Manguinhos, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Yraima Cordeiro
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Natália C Ferreira
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.,Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, United States of America
| | - Leticia P Felix Valadão
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Lucas M Ascari
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Luciana P Rangel
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Jerson L Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Instituto Nacional de Ciência Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Suparna Sanyal
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Box-596, 75124, Sweden.
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Structural Determinants of the Prion Protein N-Terminus and Its Adducts with Copper Ions. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010018. [PMID: 30577569 PMCID: PMC6337743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The N-terminus of the prion protein is a large intrinsically disordered region encompassing approximately 125 amino acids. In this paper, we review its structural and functional properties, with a particular emphasis on its binding to copper ions. The latter is exploited by the region’s conformational flexibility to yield a variety of biological functions. Disease-linked mutations and proteolytic processing of the protein can impact its copper-binding properties, with important structural and functional implications, both in health and disease progression.
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9
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Proteins behaving badly. Substoichiometric molecular control and amplification of the initiation and nature of amyloid fibril formation: lessons from and for blood clotting. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 123:16-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 08/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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10
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Structural Modeling of Human Prion Protein's Point Mutations. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 150:105-122. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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11
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Slapšak U, Salzano G, Amin L, Abskharon RNN, Ilc G, Zupančič B, Biljan I, Plavec J, Giachin G, Legname G. The N Terminus of the Prion Protein Mediates Functional Interactions with the Neuronal Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM) Fibronectin Domain. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:21857-21868. [PMID: 27535221 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.743435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) is a highly conserved glycoprotein mostly expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems by different cell types in mammals. A misfolded, pathogenic isoform, denoted as prion, is related to a class of neurodegenerative diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. PrPC function has not been unequivocally clarified, and it is rather defined as a pleiotropic protein likely acting as a dynamic cell surface scaffolding protein for the assembly of different signaling modules. Among the variety of PrPC protein interactors, the neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) has been studied in vivo, but the structural basis of this functional interaction is still a matter of debate. Here we focused on the structural determinants responsible for human PrPC (HuPrP) and NCAM interaction using stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy, SPR, and NMR spectroscopy approaches. PrPC co-localizes with NCAM in mouse hippocampal neurons, and this interaction is mainly mediated by the intrinsically disordered PrPC N-terminal tail, which binds with high affinity to the NCAM fibronectin type-3 domain. NMR structural investigations revealed surface-interacting epitopes governing the interaction between HuPrP N terminus and the second module of the NCAM fibronectin type-3 domain. Our data provided molecular details about the interaction between HuPrP and the NCAM fibronectin domain, and revealed a new role of PrPC N terminus as a dynamic and functional element responsible for protein-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Slapšak
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Giulia Salzano
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy
| | - Ladan Amin
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy
| | - Romany N N Abskharon
- the Structural Biology Research Center, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium, the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), 11516 Cairo, Egypt, and the Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
| | - Gregor Ilc
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Blaž Zupančič
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivana Biljan
- the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102A, Zagreb HR-10000, Croatia
| | - Janez Plavec
- From the Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Dunajska 156, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia,
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy, the Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000-Grenoble, France
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- the Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste I-34136, Italy,
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de Moraes MC, Santos JB, Dos Anjos DM, Rangel LP, Vieira TCRG, Moaddel R, da Silva JL. Prion protein-coated magnetic beads: synthesis, characterization and development of a new ligands screening method. J Chromatogr A 2014; 1379:1-8. [PMID: 25576041 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2014.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by protein aggregation and neurodegeneration. Conversion of the native prion protein (PrP(C)) into the abnormal scrapie PrP isoform (PrP(Sc)), which undergoes aggregation and can eventually form amyloid fibrils, is a critical step leading to the characteristic path morphological hallmark of these diseases. However, the mechanism of conversion remains unclear. It is known that ligands can act as cofactors or inhibitors in the conversion mechanism of PrP(C) into PrP(Sc). Within this context, herein, we describe the immobilization of PrP(C) onto the surface of magnetic beads and the morphological characterization of PrP(C)-coated beads by fluorescence confocal microscopy. PrP(C)-coated magnetic beads were used to identify ligands from a mixture of compounds, which were monitored by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. This affinity-based method allowed the isolation of the anti-prion compound quinacrine, an inhibitor of PrP aggregation. The results indicate that this approach can be applied to not only "fish" for anti-prion compounds from complex matrixes, but also to screening for and identify possible cellular cofactors involved in the deflagration of prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Cristina de Moraes
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Química, Departamento de Química Orgânica, 24210-141 Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Bosco Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniel Meira Dos Anjos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana Pereira Rangel
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Farmácia, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tuane Cristine Ramos Gonçalves Vieira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Jerson Lima da Silva
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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13
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Minsky BB, Zheng B, Dubin PL. Inhibition of antithrombin and bovine serum albumin native state aggregation by heparin. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:278-287. [PMID: 24313340 DOI: 10.1021/la4039232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Protein native state aggregation, a major problem in pharmaceutical and biological processes, has been addressed pharmacologically by the addition of protein-binding excipients. Heparin (Hp), a highly sulfated polysaccharide, interacts with numerous proteins with moderate to high affinity, but reports about its effect on protein aggregation are contradictory. We studied the pH dependence of the aggregation of antithrombin (AT) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the presence and absence of heparin. High-precision turbidimetry showed strong aggregation for both AT and BSA in I = 10 mM NaCl, conditions at which electrostatically driven Hp binding and aggregation both occur, with more obvious aggregation of heparin-free AT appearing as larger aggregate size. Aggregation of AT was dramatically inhibited at Hp: protein 6:1 (mole ratio); however, the effect at 0.5:1 Hp:protein was greater for BSA. Frontal analysis capillary electrophoresis showed a much larger equilibrium association constant Kobs between Hp and AT, in accord with the onset of Hp binding at a higher pH; both effects are explained by the higher charge density of the positive domain for AT as revealed by modeling with DelPhi. The corresponding modeling images showed that these domains persist at high salt only for AT, consistent with the 160-fold drop in Kobs at 100 mM salt for BSA-Hp binding. The smaller inhibition effect for AT arises from the tendency of its uncomplexed monomer to form larger aggregates more rapidly, but the stronger binding of Hp to AT does not facilitate Hp-induced aggregate dissolution which occurs more readily for BSA. This can be attributed to the higher density of AT aggregates evidenced by higher fractal dimensions. Differences between inhibition and reversal by Hp arise because the former may depend on the stage at which Hp enters the aggregation process and the latter on aggregate size and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Baykal Minsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
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Prion protein misfolding, strains, and neurotoxicity: an update from studies on Mammalian prions. Int J Cell Biol 2013; 2013:910314. [PMID: 24454379 PMCID: PMC3884631 DOI: 10.1155/2013/910314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Revised: 11/10/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and other mammalian species. The central event in TSE pathogenesis is the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein, PrPC, into the aggregate, β-sheet rich, amyloidogenic form, PrPSc. Increasing evidence indicates that distinct PrPSc conformers, forming distinct ordered aggregates, can encipher the phenotypic TSE variants related to prion strains. Prion strains are TSE isolates that, after inoculation into syngenic hosts, cause disease with distinct characteristics, such as incubation period, pattern of PrPSc distribution, and regional severity of histopathological changes in the brain. In analogy with other amyloid forming proteins, PrPSc toxicity is thought to derive from the existence of various intermediate structures prior to the amyloid fiber formation and/or their specific interaction with membranes. The latter appears particularly relevant for the pathogenesis of TSEs associated with GPI-anchored PrPSc, which involves major cellular membrane distortions in neurons. In this review, we update the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying three fundamental aspects of the basic biology of prions such as the putative mechanism of prion protein conversion to the pathogenic form PrPSc and its propagation, the molecular basis of prion strains, and the mechanism of induced neurotoxicity by PrPSc aggregates.
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15
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Cong X, Casiraghi N, Rossetti G, Mohanty S, Giachin G, Legname G, Carloni P. Role of Prion Disease-Linked Mutations in the Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminal Domain of the Prion Protein. J Chem Theory Comput 2013; 9:5158-67. [DOI: 10.1021/ct400534k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Cong
- Laboratory
of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
- Laboratory
for Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (GRS), Forschungszentrum Jülich−RWTH Aachen, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Computational
Biomedicine Section (IAS-5), Institute of Advanced Simulation (IAS), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicola Casiraghi
- Laboratory
for Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (GRS), Forschungszentrum Jülich−RWTH Aachen, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department
of Biology, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Computational
Biomedicine Section (IAS-5), Institute of Advanced Simulation (IAS), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Giulia Rossetti
- Laboratory
for Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (GRS), Forschungszentrum Jülich−RWTH Aachen, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Computational
Biomedicine Section (IAS-5), Institute of Advanced Simulation (IAS), 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine and Barcelona Supercomputing Center Joint Research Program on Computational Biology, Barcelona Science Park, Baldiri I Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandipan Mohanty
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Laboratory
of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory
of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
- ELETTRA Laboratory, Sincrotrone
Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Laboratory
for Computational Biophysics, German Research School for Simulation Sciences (GRS), Forschungszentrum Jülich−RWTH Aachen, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Computational
Biomedicine Section (IAS-5), Institute of Advanced Simulation (IAS), 52425 Jülich, Germany
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16
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Huang P, Lian F, Wen Y, Guo C, Lin D. Prion protein oligomer and its neurotoxicity. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2013; 45:442-51. [PMID: 23557632 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are fatal neurodegenerative disorders. According to the 'protein only' hypothesis, the key molecular event in the pathogenesis of prion disease is the conformational conversion of the host-derived cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into a misfolded form (scrapie PrP, PrP(Sc)). Increasing evidence has shown that the most infectious factor is the smaller subfibrillar oligomers formed by prion proteins. Both the prion oligomer and PrP(Sc) are rich in β-sheet structure and resistant to the proteolysis of proteinase K. The prion oligomer is soluble in physiologic environments whereas PrP(Sc) is insoluble. Various prion oligomers are formed in different conditions. Prion oligomers exhibited more neurotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo than the fibrillar forms of PrP(Sc), implying that prion oligomers could be potential drug targets for attacking prion diseases. In this article, we describe recent experimental evidence regarding prion oligomers, with a special focus on prion oligomer formation and its neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 21009, China
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17
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Pang Y, Kurella S, Voisset C, Samanta D, Banerjee D, Schabe A, Das Gupta C, Galons H, Blondel M, Sanyal S. The antiprion compound 6-aminophenanthridine inhibits the protein folding activity of the ribosome by direct competition. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:19081-9. [PMID: 23673663 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.466748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Domain V of the 23S/25S/28S rRNA of the large ribosomal subunit constitutes the active center for the protein folding activity of the ribosome (PFAR). Using in vitro transcribed domain V rRNAs from Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the folding modulators and human carbonic anhydrase as a model protein, we demonstrate that PFAR is conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. It was shown previously that 6-aminophenanthridine (6AP), an antiprion compound, inhibits PFAR. Here, using UV cross-linking followed by primer extension, we show that the protein substrates and 6AP interact with a common set of nucleotides on domain V of 23S rRNA. Mutations at the interaction sites decreased PFAR and resulted in loss or change of the binding pattern for both the protein substrates and 6AP. Moreover, kinetic analysis of human carbonic anhydrase refolding showed that 6AP decreased the yield of the refolded protein but did not affect the rate of refolding. Thus, we conclude that 6AP competitively occludes the protein substrates from binding to rRNA and thereby inhibits PFAR. Finally, we propose a scheme clarifying the mechanism by which 6AP inhibits PFAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Pang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
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18
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Cirillo D, Agostini F, Klus P, Marchese D, Rodriguez S, Bolognesi B, Tartaglia GG. Neurodegenerative diseases: quantitative predictions of protein-RNA interactions. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2013; 19:129-140. [PMID: 23264567 PMCID: PMC3543085 DOI: 10.1261/rna.034777.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 11/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that RNA plays an active role in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. We recently introduced a theoretical framework, catRAPID, to predict the binding ability of protein and RNA molecules. Here, we use catRAPID to investigate ribonucleoprotein interactions linked to inherited intellectual disability, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeuld-Jakob, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. We specifically focus on (1) RNA interactions with fragile X mental retardation protein FMRP; (2) protein sequestration caused by CGG repeats; (3) noncoding transcripts regulated by TAR DNA-binding protein 43 TDP-43; (4) autogenous regulation of TDP-43 and FMRP; (5) iron-mediated expression of amyloid precursor protein APP and α-synuclein; (6) interactions between prions and RNA aptamers. Our results are in striking agreement with experimental evidence and provide new insights in processes associated with neuronal function and misfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Cirillo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Federico Agostini
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Petr Klus
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Domenica Marchese
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Rodriguez
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benedetta Bolognesi
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Camero S, Benítez MJ, Jiménez JS. Anomalous Protein–DNA Interactions Behind Neurological Disorders. PROTEIN-NUCLEIC ACIDS INTERACTIONS 2013; 91:37-63. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-411637-5.00002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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20
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Qin S, Zhou HX. PI 2PE: A Suite of Web Servers for Predictions Ranging From Protein Structure to Binding Kinetics. Biophys Rev 2012; 5:41-46. [PMID: 23526172 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-012-0086-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
PI2PE (http://pipe.sc.fsu.edu) is a suite of four web servers for predicting a variety of folding- and binding-related properties of proteins. These include the solvent accessibility of amino acids upon protein folding, the amino acids forming the interfaces of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid complexes, and the binding rate constants of these complexes. Three of the servers debuted in 2007, and have garnered ~2,500 unique users and finished over 30,000 jobs. The functionalities of these servers are now enhanced, and a new sever, for predicting the binding rate constants, is added. Together, these web servers form a pipeline from protein sequence to tertiary structure, then to quaternary structure, and finally to binding kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanbo Qin
- Department of Physics and Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
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21
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Gomes MPB, Vieira TCRG, Cordeiro Y, Silva JL. The role of RNA in mammalian prion protein conversion. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2011; 3:415-28. [PMID: 22095764 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases remain a challenge to modern science in the 21st century because of their capacity for transmission without an encoding nucleic acid. PrP(Sc), the infectious and alternatively folded form of the PrP prion protein, is capable of self-replication, using PrP(C), the properly folded form of PrP, as a template. This process is associated with neuronal death and the clinical manifestation of prion-based diseases. Unfortunately, little is known about the mechanisms that drive this process. Over the last decade, the theory that a nucleic acid, such as an RNA molecule, might be involved in the process of prion structural conversion has become more widely accepted; such a nucleic acid would act as a catalyst rather than encoding genetic information. Significant amounts of data regarding the interactions of PrP with nucleic acids have created a new foundation for understanding prion conversion and the transmission of prion diseases. Our knowledge has been enhanced by the characterization of a large group of RNA molecules known as non-coding RNAs, which execute a series of important cellular functions, from transcriptional regulation to the modulation of neuroplasticity. The RNA-binding properties of PrP along with the competition with other polyanions, such as glycosaminoglycans and nucleic acid aptamers, open new avenues for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana P B Gomes
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Jiri Jonas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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