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Fremuntova Z, Hanusova ZB, Soukup J, Mosko T, Matej R, Holada K. Simple 3D spheroid cell culture model for studies of prion infection. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:4437-4452. [PMID: 38887188 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16444] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Mouse neuronal CAD 5 cell line effectively propagates various strains of prions. Previously, we have shown that it can also be differentiated into the cells morphologically resembling neurons. Here, we demonstrate that CAD 5 cells chronically infected with prions undergo differentiation under the same conditions. To make our model more realistic, we triggered the differentiation in the 3D culture created by gentle rocking of CAD 5 cell suspension. Spheroids formed within 1 week and were fully developed in less than 3 weeks of culture. The mature spheroids had a median size of ~300 μm and could be cultured for up to 12 weeks. Increased expression of differentiation markers GAP 43, tyrosine hydroxylase, β-III-tubulin and SNAP 25 supported the differentiated status of the spheroid cells. The majority of them were found in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, which is typical for differentiated cells. Moreover, half of the PrPC on the cell membrane was N-terminally truncated, similarly as in differentiated CAD 5 adherent cells. Finally, we demonstrated that spheroids could be created from prion-infected CAD 5 cells. The presence of prions was verified by immunohistochemistry, western blot and seed amplification assay. We also confirmed that the spheroids can be infected with the prions de novo. Our 3D culture model of differentiated CAD 5 cells is low cost, easy to produce and cultivable for weeks. We foresee its possible use in the testing of anti-prion compounds and future studies of prion formation dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Fremuntova
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Backovska Hanusova
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Soukup
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tibor Mosko
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radoslav Matej
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Thomayer University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Holada
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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Wojewska MJ, Otero-Jimenez M, Guijarro-Nuez J, Alegre-Abarrategui J. Beyond Strains: Molecular Diversity in Alpha-Synuclein at the Center of Disease Heterogeneity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13199. [PMID: 37686005 PMCID: PMC10487421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713199] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synucleinopathies (α-synucleinopathies) such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are all characterized by aggregates of alpha-synuclein (α-syn), but display heterogeneous clinical and pathological phenotypes. The mechanism underlying this heterogeneity is thought to be due to diversity in the α-syn strains present across the diseases. α-syn obtained from the post-mortem brain of patients who lived with these conditions is heterogenous, and displays a different protease sensitivity, ultrastructure, cytotoxicity, and seeding potential. The primary aim of this review is to summarize previous studies investigating these concepts, which not only reflect the idea of different syn strains being present, but demonstrate that each property explains a small part of a much larger puzzle. Strains of α-syn appear at the center of the correlation between α-syn properties and the disease phenotype, likely influenced by external factors. There are considerable similarities in the properties of disease-specific α-syn strains, but MSA seems to consistently display more aggressive traits. Elucidating the molecular underpinnings of heterogeneity amongst α-synucleinopathies holds promise for future clinical translation, allowing for the development of personalized medicine approaches tackling the root cause of each α-synucleinopathy.
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3
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Myers RR, John A, Zhang W, Zou WQ, Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P. Y225A induces long-range conformational changes in human prion protein that are protective in Drosophila. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104881. [PMID: 37269948 PMCID: PMC10339063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104881] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion protein (PrP) misfolding is the key trigger in the devastating prion diseases. Yet the sequence and structural determinants of PrP conformation and toxicity are not known in detail. Here, we describe the impact of replacing Y225 in human PrP with A225 from rabbit PrP, an animal highly resistant to prion diseases. We first examined human PrP-Y225A by molecular dynamics simulations. We next introduced human PrP in Drosophila and compared the toxicity of human PrP-WT and Y225A in the eye and in brain neurons. Y225A stabilizes the β2-α2 loop into a 310-helix from six different conformations identified in WT and lowers hydrophobic exposure. Transgenic flies expressing PrP-Y225A exhibit less toxicity in the eye and in brain neurons and less accumulation of insoluble PrP. Overall, we determined that Y225A lowers toxicity in Drosophila assays by promoting a structured loop conformation that increases the stability of the globular domain. These findings are significant because they shed light on the key role of distal α-helix 3 on the dynamics of the loop and the entire globular domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Aliciarose John
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Weiguanliu Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Neurology, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Wen-Quan Zou
- Department of Pathology and Neurology, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Alessandro Cembran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA.
| | - Pedro Fernandez-Funez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, Minnesota, USA.
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4
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Myskiw J, Lamoureux L, Peterson A, Knox D, Jansen GH, Coulthart MB, Booth SA. Development of an Automated Capillary Immunoassay to Detect Prion Glycotypes in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100029. [PMID: 36925197 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2022.100029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) comprises a group of transmissible neurodegenerative diseases with vast phenotypic diversity. Sporadic CJD heterogeneity is predominantly influenced by the genotype at codon 129 of the prion-encoding gene and the molecular weight of PrPSc fragments after protease digestion, resulting in a classification of 6 subtypes of CJD (MM1, MM2, MV1, MV2, VV1, and VV2). The majority of cases with CJD can be distinguished using this classification system. However, a number of reported CJD cases are phenotypically unique from others within their same subtype, such as variably protease-sensitive prionopathies, or exist as a mixture of subtypes within the same patient. Western blotting of brain tissue, along with the genotyping of codon 129 of the prion-encoding gene, is considered the "gold standard" for the biochemical characterization of CJD. Western blotting requires a significant amount of prion protein for detection, is labor-intensive, and is also associated with high interassay variability. In addition to these limitations, a growing body of research suggests that unique subtypes of CJD are often undetected or misdiagnosed using standard diagnostic western blotting protocols. Consequently, we successfully optimized and developed a capillary-based western assay using the JESS Simple Western (ProteinSimple) to detect and characterize prion proteins from patients with CJD. We found that this novel assay consistently differentiated CJD type 1 and type 2 cases with a limit of detection 10 to 100× higher than traditional western blotting. Cases with CJD in which type 1 and type 2 coexist within the same brain region can be detected using type 1-specific and type 2-specific antibodies, and we found that there was remarkable specificity for the detection of cases with variably protease-sensitive prionopathy. The assay presented displays outstanding sensitivity, allowing for the preservation of valuable samples and enhancing current detection methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Myskiw
- One Health Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lise Lamoureux
- One Health Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Anne Peterson
- One Health Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - David Knox
- One Health Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Gerard H Jansen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael B Coulthart
- Canadian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie A Booth
- One Health Division, Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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5
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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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6
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Condello C, Merz GE, Aoyagi A, DeGrado WF, Prusiner SB. Aβ and Tau Prions Causing Alzheimer's Disease. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2561:293-337. [PMID: 36399277 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2655-9_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Studies show that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have both Aβ and tau prions, and thus, AD is a double-prion disease. AD patients with the greatest longevity exhibited low levels of both Aβ and tau prions; tau prions were nearly absent in the brains of almost half of the patients who lived beyond 80 years of age. Using cellular bioassays for prions in postmortem samples, we found that both Aβ and tau proteins misfold into prions leading to AD, which is either a sporadic or familial dementing disorder. Although AD is transmissible experimentally, there is no evidence that AD is either communicable or contagious. Since the progression of AD correlates poorly with insoluble Aβ in the central nervous system (CNS), it was difficult to distinguish between inert amyloids and Aβ prions. To measure the progression of AD, we devised rapid bioassays to measure the abundance of isoform-specific Aβ prions in the brains of transgenic (Tg) mice and in postmortem human CNS samples from AD victims and people who died of other neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). We found significant correlations between the longevity of individuals with AD, sex, and genetic background, despite the fact that all postmortem brain tissue had essentially the same confirmed neuropathology.Although brains from all AD patients had measurable levels of Aβ prions at death, the oldest individuals had lower Aβ prion levels than the younger ones. Additionally, the long-lived individuals had low tau prion levels that correlated with the extent of phosphorylated tau (p-tau). Unexpectedly, a longevity-dependent decrease in tau prions was found in spite of increasing amounts of total insoluble tau. When corrected for the abundance of insoluble tau, the tau prion levels decreased exponentially with respect to the age at death with a half-time of approximately one decade, and this correlated with the abundance of phosphorylated tau.Even though our findings with tau prions were not unexpected, they were counterintuitive; thus, tau phosphorylation and tau prion activity decreased exponentially with longevity in patients with AD ranging from ages 37 to 99 years. Our findings demonstrated an inverse correlation between longevity in AD patients and the abundance of neurotoxic tau prions. Moreover, our discovery may have profound implications for the selection of phenotypically distinct patient populations and the development of diagnostics and effective therapeutics for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Gregory E Merz
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Atsushi Aoyagi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - William F DeGrado
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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7
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Manka SW, Zhang W, Wenborn A, Betts J, Joiner S, Saibil HR, Collinge J, Wadsworth JDF. 2.7 Å cryo-EM structure of ex vivo RML prion fibrils. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4004. [PMID: 35831275 PMCID: PMC9279362 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30457-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prions propagate as distinct strains and are composed of multichain assemblies of misfolded host-encoded prion protein (PrP). Here, we present a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structure of PrP fibrils present in highly infectious prion rod preparations isolated from the brains of RML prion-infected mice. We found that prion rods comprise single-protofilament helical amyloid fibrils that coexist with twisted pairs of the same protofilaments. Each rung of the protofilament is formed by a single PrP monomer with the ordered core comprising PrP residues 94-225, which folds to create two asymmetric lobes with the N-linked glycans and the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor projecting from the C-terminal lobe. The overall architecture is comparable to that of recently reported PrP fibrils isolated from the brain of hamsters infected with the 263K prion strain. However, there are marked conformational variations that could result from differences in PrP sequence and/or represent distinguishing features of the distinct prion strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szymon W Manka
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Wenjuan Zhang
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Adam Wenborn
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jemma Betts
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Susan Joiner
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Helen R Saibil
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
| | - Jonathan D F Wadsworth
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
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8
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Atrián-Blasco E, de Cremoux L, Lin X, Mitchell-Heggs R, Sabater L, Blanchard S, Hureau C. Keggin-type polyoxometalates as Cu(II) chelators in the context of Alzheimer's disease. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:2367-2370. [PMID: 35080532 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc05792h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Two Keggin polyoxometalates were used as new copper ligands to counteract the effects of CuII(Amyloid-β) interaction. Their ability to remove CuII from CuII(Amyloid-β), to stop CuII(Amyloid-β) induced formation of reactive oxygen species and to restore apo-like self-assembly of CuII(Amyloid-β) was shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Atrián-Blasco
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France. .,Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | | | - Xudong Lin
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse, France.
| | | | | | - Sébastien Blanchard
- CNRS, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, IPCM, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris F-75005, France.
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9
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Kamali-Jamil R, Vázquez-Fernández E, Tancowny B, Rathod V, Amidian S, Wang X, Tang X, Fang A, Senatore A, Hornemann S, Dudas S, Aguzzi A, Young HS, Wille H. The ultrastructure of infectious L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy prions constrains molecular models. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009628. [PMID: 34061899 PMCID: PMC8195424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a prion disease of cattle that is caused by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into an infectious conformation (PrPSc). PrPC is a predominantly α-helical membrane protein that misfolds into a β-sheet rich, infectious state, which has a high propensity to self-assemble into amyloid fibrils. Three strains of BSE prions can cause prion disease in cattle, including classical BSE (C-type) and two atypical strains, named L-type and H-type BSE. To date, there is no detailed information available about the structure of any of the infectious BSE prion strains. In this study, we purified L-type BSE prions from transgenic mouse brains and investigated their biochemical and ultrastructural characteristics using electron microscopy, image processing, and immunogold labeling techniques. By using phosphotungstate anions (PTA) to precipitate PrPSc combined with sucrose gradient centrifugation, a high yield of proteinase K-resistant BSE amyloid fibrils was obtained. A morphological examination using electron microscopy, two-dimensional class averages, and three-dimensional reconstructions revealed two structural classes of L-type BSE amyloid fibrils; fibrils that consisted of two protofilaments with a central gap and an average width of 22.5 nm and one-protofilament fibrils that were 10.6 nm wide. The one-protofilament fibrils were found to be more abundant compared to the thicker two-protofilament fibrils. Both fibrillar assemblies were successfully decorated with monoclonal antibodies against N- and C-terminal epitopes of PrP using immunogold-labeling techniques, confirming the presence of polypeptides that span residues 100-110 to 227-237. The fact that the one-protofilament fibrils contain both N- and C-terminal PrP epitopes constrains molecular models for the structure of the infectious conformer in favour of a compact four-rung β-solenoid fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razieh Kamali-Jamil
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ester Vázquez-Fernández
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Brian Tancowny
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vineet Rathod
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sara Amidian
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiongyao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xinli Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Assunta Senatore
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sandor Dudas
- Canadian BSE Reference Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge Laboratory, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Howard S. Young
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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10
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Overduin M, Wille H, Westaway D. Multisite interactions of prions with membranes and native nanodiscs. Chem Phys Lipids 2021; 236:105063. [PMID: 33600804 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2021.105063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Although prions are known as protein-only infectious particles, they exhibit lipid specificities, cofactor dependencies and membrane-dependent activities. Such membrane interactions play key roles in how prions are processed, presented and regulated, and hence have significant functional consequences. The expansive literature related to prion protein interactions with lipids and native nanodiscs is discussed, and provides a unique opportunity to re-evaluate the molecular composition and mechanisms of its infectious and cellular states. A family of crystal and solution structures of prions are analyzed here for the first time using the membrane optimal docking area (MODA) program, revealling the presence of structured binding elements that could mediate specific lipid recognition. A set of motifs centerred around W99, L125, Y169 and Y226 are consistently predicted as being membrane interactive and form an exposed surface which includes α helical, β strand and loop elements involving the prion protein (PrP) structural domain, while the scrapie form is radically different and doubles the size of the membrane interactive site into an extensible surface. These motifs are highly conserved throughout mammalian evolution, suggesting that prions have long been intrinsically attached to membranes at central and N- and C-terminal points, providing several opportunities for stable and specific bilayer interactions as well as multiple complexed orientations. Resistance or susceptibility to prion disease correlates with increased or decreased membrane binding propensity by mutant forms, respectively, indicating a protective role by lipids. The various prion states found in vivo are increasingly resolvable using native nanodiscs formed by styrene maleic acid (SMA) and stilbene maleic acid (STMA) copolymers rather than classical detergents, allowing the endogenous states to be tackled. These copolymers spontaneously fragment intact membranes into water-soluble discs holding a section of native bilayer, and can accommodate prion multimers and mini-fibrils. Such nanodiscs have also proven useful for understanding how β amyloid and α synuclein proteins contribute to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, providing further biomedical applications. Structural and functional insights of such proteins in styrene maleic acid lipid particles (SMALPs) can be resolved at high resolution by methods including cryo-electron microscopy (cEM), motivating continued progress in polymer design to resolve biological and pathological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Overduin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Holger Wille
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Center for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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11
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Global analysis of protein degradation in prion infected cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10800. [PMID: 32612191 PMCID: PMC7329860 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67505-5] [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: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are rare, neurological disorders caused by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into cytotoxic fibrils (PrPSc). Intracellular PrPSc aggregates primarily accumulate within late endosomes and lysosomes, organelles that participate in the degradation and turnover of a large subset of the proteome. Thus, intracellular accumulation of PrPSc aggregates has the potential to globally influence protein degradation kinetics within an infected cell. We analyzed the proteome-wide effect of prion infection on protein degradation rates in N2a neuroblastoma cells by dynamic stable isotopic labeling with amino acids in cell culture (dSILAC) and bottom-up proteomics. The analysis quantified the degradation rates of more than 4,700 proteins in prion infected and uninfected cells. As expected, the degradation rate of the prion protein is significantly decreased upon aggregation in infected cells. In contrast, the degradation kinetics of the remainder of the N2a proteome generally increases upon prion infection. This effect occurs concurrently with increases in the cellular activities of autophagy and some lysosomal hydrolases. The resulting enhancement in proteome flux may play a role in the survival of N2a cells upon prion infection.
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12
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Aoyagi A, Condello C, Stöhr J, Yue W, Rivera BM, Lee JC, Woerman AL, Halliday G, van Duinen S, Ingelsson M, Lannfelt L, Graff C, Bird TD, Keene CD, Seeley WW, DeGrado WF, Prusiner SB. Aβ and tau prion-like activities decline with longevity in the Alzheimer's disease human brain. Sci Transl Med 2020; 11:11/490/eaat8462. [PMID: 31043574 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat8462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are the accumulation of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau. We developed sensitive cellular assays using human embryonic kidney-293T cells to quantify intracellular self-propagating conformers of Aβ in brain samples from patients with AD or other neurodegenerative diseases. Postmortem brain tissue from patients with AD had measurable amounts of pathological Aβ conformers. Individuals over 80 years of age had the lowest amounts of prion-like Aβ and phosphorylated tau. Unexpectedly, the longevity-dependent decrease in self-propagating tau conformers occurred in spite of increasing amounts of total insoluble tau. When corrected for the abundance of insoluble tau, the ability of postmortem AD brain homogenates to induce misfolded tau in the cellular assays showed an exponential decrease with longevity, with a half-life of about one decade over the age range of 37 to 99 years. Thus, our findings demonstrate an inverse correlation between longevity in patients with AD and the abundance of pathological tau conformers. Our cellular assays can be applied to patient selection for clinical studies and the development of new drugs and diagnostics for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Aoyagi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd., Tokyo 140-8710, Japan
| | - Carlo Condello
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. .,Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jan Stöhr
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,AC Immune SA, EPFL Innovation Park, Building B, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Weizhou Yue
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Brianna M Rivera
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Joanne C Lee
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Amanda L Woerman
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Glenda Halliday
- NeuRA and School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | | | - Martin Ingelsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Lannfelt
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Graff
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden.,Unit for Hereditary Dementias, Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Thomas D Bird
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - William F DeGrado
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA. .,Department of Neurology, UCSF 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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13
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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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14
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Vanni I, Pirisinu L, Acevedo-Morantes C, Kamali-Jamil R, Rathod V, Di Bari MA, D’Agostino C, Marcon S, Esposito E, Riccardi G, Hornemann S, Senatore A, Aguzzi A, Agrimi U, Wille H, Nonno R. Isolation of infectious, non-fibrillar and oligomeric prions from a genetic prion disease. Brain 2020; 143:1512-1524. [PMID: 32303068 PMCID: PMC7241950 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are transmissible agents causing lethal neurodegenerative diseases that are composed of aggregates of misfolded cellular prion protein (PrPSc). Despite non-fibrillar oligomers having been proposed as the most infectious prion particles, prions purified from diseased brains usually consist of large and fibrillar PrPSc aggregates, whose protease-resistant core (PrPres) encompasses the whole C-terminus of PrP. In contrast, PrPSc from Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease associated with alanine to valine substitution at position 117 (GSS-A117V) is characterized by a small protease-resistant core, which is devoid of the C-terminus. We thus aimed to investigate the role of this unusual PrPSc in terms of infectivity, strain characteristics, and structural features. We found, by titration in bank voles, that the infectivity of GSS-A117V is extremely high (109.3 ID50 U/g) and is resistant to treatment with proteinase K (109.0 ID50 U/g). We then purified the proteinase K-resistant GSS-A117V prions and determined the amount of infectivity and PrPres in the different fractions, alongside the morphological characteristics of purified PrPres aggregates by electron microscopy. Purified pellet fractions from GSS-A117V contained the expected N- and C-terminally cleaved 7 kDa PrPres, although the yield of PrPres was low. We found that this low yield depended on the low density/small size of GSS-A117V PrPres, as it was mainly retained in the last supernatant fraction. All fractions were highly infectious, thus confirming the infectious nature of the 7 kDa PrPres, with infectivity levels that directly correlated with the PrPres amount detected. Finally, electron microscopy analysis of these fractions showed no presence of amyloid fibrils, but only very small and indistinct, non-fibrillar PrPresparticles were detected and confirmed to contain PrP via immunogold labelling. Our study demonstrates that purified aggregates of 7 kDa PrPres, spanning residues ∼90-150, are highly infectious oligomers that encode the biochemical and biological strain features of the original sample. Overall, the autocatalytic behaviour of the prion oligomers reveals their role in the propagation of neurodegeneration in patients with Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease and implies that the C-terminus of PrPSc is dispensable for infectivity and strain features for this prion strain, uncovering the central PrP domain as the minimal molecular component able to encode infectious prions. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that non-fibrillar prion particles are highly efficient propagators of disease and provide new molecular and morphological constraints on the structure of infectious prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Vanni
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Pirisinu
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Acevedo-Morantes
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Razieh Kamali-Jamil
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vineet Rathod
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michele Angelo Di Bari
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia D’Agostino
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Marcon
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Esposito
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Geraldina Riccardi
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute for Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Assunta Senatore
- Institute for Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute for Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Umberto Agrimi
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Holger Wille
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases and Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Romolo Nonno
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Rome, Italy
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15
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Esmaili M, Tancowny BP, Wang X, Moses A, Cortez LM, Sim VL, Wille H, Overduin M. Native nanodiscs formed by styrene maleic acid copolymer derivatives help recover infectious prion multimers bound to brain-derived lipids. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:8460-8469. [PMID: 32358064 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.012348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are lipidated proteins that interact with endogenous lipids and metal ions. They also assemble into multimers and propagate into the infectious scrapie form known as PrPSc The high-resolution structure of the infectious PrPSc state remains unknown, and its analysis largely relies on detergent-based preparations devoid of endogenous ligands. Here we designed polymers that allow isolation of endogenous membrane:protein assemblies in native nanodiscs without exposure to conventional detergents that destabilize protein structures and induce fibrillization. A set of styrene-maleic acid (SMA) polymers including a methylamine derivative facilitated gentle release of the infectious complexes for resolution of multimers, and a thiol-containing version promoted crystallization. Polymer extraction from brain homogenates from Syrian hamsters infected with Hyper prions and WT mice infected with Rocky Mountain Laboratories prions yielded infectious prion nanoparticles including oligomers and microfilaments bound to lipid vesicles. Lipid analysis revealed the brain phospholipids that associate with prion protofilaments, as well as those that are specifically enriched in prion assemblies captured by the methylamine-modified copolymer. A comparison of the infectivity of PrPSc attached to SMA lipid particles in mice and hamsters indicated that these amphipathic polymers offer a valuable tool for high-yield production of intact, detergent-free prions that retain in vivo activity. This native prion isolation method provides an avenue for producing relevant prion:lipid targets and potentially other proteins that form multimeric assemblies and fibrils on membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoore Esmaili
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Brian P Tancowny
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiongyao Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Audric Moses
- Lipidomics Core Facility, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Leonardo M Cortez
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Valerie L Sim
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, and Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada .,Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael Overduin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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16
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Abstract
Multivalent protein-protein interactions serve central roles in many essential biological processes, ranging from cell signaling and adhesion to pathogen recognition. Uncovering the rules that govern these intricate interactions is important not only to basic biology and chemistry but also to the applied sciences where researchers are interested in developing molecules to promote or inhibit these interactions. Here we report the synthesis and application of atomically precise inorganic cluster nanomolecules consisting of an inorganic core and a covalently linked densely packed layer of saccharides. These hybrid agents are stable under biologically relevant conditions and exhibit multivalent binding capabilities, which enable us to study the complex interactions between glycosylated structures and a dendritic cell lectin receptor. Importantly, we find that subtle changes in the molecular structure lead to significant differences in the nanomolecule's protein-binding properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate an example of using these hybrid nanomolecules to effectively inhibit protein-protein interactions in a human cell line. Ultimately, this work reveals an intricate interplay between the structural design of multivalent agents and their biological activities toward protein surfaces.
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17
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Yamasaki TR, Holmes BB, Furman JL, Dhavale DD, Su BW, Song ES, Cairns NJ, Kotzbauer PT, Diamond MI. Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy have distinct α-synuclein seed characteristics. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:1045-1058. [PMID: 30478174 PMCID: PMC6341389 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are distinct clinical syndromes characterized by the pathological accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) protein fibrils in neurons and glial cells. These disorders and other neurodegenerative diseases may progress via prion-like mechanisms. The prion model of propagation predicts the existence of "strains" that link pathological aggregate structure and neuropathology. Prion strains are aggregated conformers that stably propagate in vivo and cause disease with defined incubation times and patterns of neuropathology. Indeed, tau prions have been well defined, and research suggests that both α-syn and β-amyloid may also form strains. However, there is a lack of studies characterizing PD- versus MSA-derived α-syn strains or demonstrating stable propagation of these unique conformers between cells or animals. To fill this gap, we used an assay based on FRET that exploits a HEK293T "biosensor" cell line stably expressing α-syn (A53T)-CFP/YFP fusion proteins to detect α-syn seeds in brain extracts from PD and MSA patients. Both soluble and insoluble fractions of MSA extracts had robust seeding activity, whereas only the insoluble fractions of PD extracts displayed seeding activity. The morphology of MSA-seeded inclusions differed from PD-seeded inclusions. These differences persisted upon propagation of aggregation to second-generation biosensor cells. We conclude that PD and MSA feature α-syn conformers with very distinct biochemical properties that can be transmitted to α-syn monomers in a cell system. These findings are consistent with the idea that distinct α-syn strains underlie PD and MSA and offer possible directions for synucleinopathy diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tritia R Yamasaki
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536,
| | | | | | | | - Bryant W Su
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Eun-Suk Song
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Nigel J Cairns
- the Departments of Neurology and.,Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, and
| | | | - Marc I Diamond
- the Center for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390
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18
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Woerman AL, Kazmi SA, Patel S, Freyman Y, Oehler A, Aoyagi A, Mordes DA, Halliday GM, Middleton LT, Gentleman SM, Olson SH, Prusiner SB. MSA prions exhibit remarkable stability and resistance to inactivation. Acta Neuropathol 2018; 135:49-63. [PMID: 28849371 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-017-1762-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive neurodegeneration results from the protein α-synuclein misfolding into a self-templating prion conformation that spreads throughout the brain. MSA prions are transmissible to transgenic (Tg) mice expressing mutated human α-synuclein (TgM83+/-), inducing neurological disease following intracranial inoculation with brain homogenate from deceased patient samples. Noting the similarities between α-synuclein prions and PrP scrapie (PrPSc) prions responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), we investigated MSA transmission under conditions known to result in PrPSc transmission. When peripherally exposed to MSA via the peritoneal cavity, hind leg muscle, and tongue, TgM83+/- mice developed neurological signs accompanied by α-synuclein prions in the brain. Iatrogenic CJD, resulting from PrPSc prion adherence to surgical steel instruments, has been investigated by incubating steel sutures in contaminated brain homogenate before implantation into mouse brain. Mice studied using this model for MSA developed disease, whereas wire incubated in control homogenate had no effect on the animals. Notably, formalin fixation did not inactivate α-synuclein prions. Formalin-fixed MSA patient samples also transmitted disease to TgM83+/- mice, even after incubating in fixative for 244 months. Finally, at least 10% sarkosyl was found to be the concentration necessary to partially inactivate MSA prions. These results demonstrate the robustness of α-synuclein prions to denaturation. Moreover, they establish the parallel characteristics between PrPSc and α-synuclein prions, arguing that clinicians should exercise caution when working with materials that might contain α-synuclein prions to prevent disease.
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19
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Cheng YC, Hannaoui S, John TR, Dudas S, Czub S, Gilch S. Real-time Quaking-induced Conversion Assay for Detection of CWD Prions in Fecal Material. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 28994814 DOI: 10.3791/56373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The RT-QuIC technique is a sensitive in vitro cell-free prion amplification assay based mainly on the seeded misfolding and aggregation of recombinant prion protein (PrP) substrate using prion seeds as a template for the conversion. RT-QuIC is a novel high-throughput technique which is analogous to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Detection of amyloid fibril growth is based on the dye Thioflavin T, which fluoresces upon specific interaction with ᵦ-sheet rich proteins. Thus, amyloid formation can be detected in real time. We attempted to develop a reliable non-invasive screening test to detect chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions in fecal extract. Here, we have specifically adapted the RT-QuIC technique to reveal PrPSc seeding activity in feces of CWD infected cervids. Initially, the seeding activity of the fecal extracts we prepared was relatively low in RT-QuIC, possibly due to potential assay inhibitors in the fecal material. To improve seeding activity of feces extracts and remove potential assay inhibitors, we homogenized the fecal samples in a buffer containing detergents and protease inhibitors. We also submitted the samples to different methodologies to concentrate PrPSc on the basis of protein precipitation using sodium phosphotungstic acid, and centrifugal force. Finally, the feces extracts were tested by optimized RT-QuIC which included substrate replacement in the protocol to improve the sensitivity of detection. Thus, we established a protocol for sensitive detection of CWD prion seeding activity in feces of pre-clinical and clinical cervids by RT-QuIC, which can be a practical tool for non-invasive CWD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo Ching Cheng
- Dept. of Ecosystem and Public Health, Calgary Prion Research Units, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
| | - Samia Hannaoui
- Dept. of Ecosystem and Public Health, Calgary Prion Research Units, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
| | | | - Sandor Dudas
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge Laboratories
| | - Stefanie Czub
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge Laboratories
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Dept. of Ecosystem and Public Health, Calgary Prion Research Units, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary;
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20
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Requena JR, Wille H. The Structure of the Infectious Prion Protein and Its Propagation. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 150:341-359. [PMID: 28838667 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The prion diseases, which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, chronic wasting disease in cervids (i.e., deer, elk, moose, and reindeer), bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle, as well as sheep and goat scrapie, are caused by the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into a disease-causing conformer (PrPSc). PrPC is a regular, GPI-anchored protein that is expressed on the cell surface of neurons and many other cell types. The structure of PrPC is well studied, based on analyses of recombinant PrP, which is thought to mimic the structure of native PrPC. The mature protein contains an N-terminal, unfolded domain and a C-terminal, globular domain that consists of three α-helices and only a small, two-stranded β-sheet. In contrast, PrPSc was found to contain predominantly β-structure and to aggregate into a variety of quaternary structures, such as oligomers, amorphous aggregates, amyloid fibrils, and two-dimensional crystals. The tendency of PrPSc to aggregate into these diverse forms is also responsible for our incomplete knowledge about its molecular structure. Nevertheless, the repeating nature of the more regular PrPSc aggregates has provided informative insights into the structure of the infectious conformer, albeit at limited resolution. These data established a four-rung β-solenoid architecture as the main element of its structure. Moreover, the four-rung β-solenoid architecture provides a molecular framework for an autocatalytic propagation mechanism, which could explain the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús R Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Holger Wille
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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21
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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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22
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The Structure of Mammalian Prions and Their Aggregates. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 329:277-301. [PMID: 28109330 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle, chronic wasting disease in cervids (i.e., deer, elk, moose, and reindeer), and sheep scrapie, are caused by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into a disease-causing conformer (PrPSc). PrPC is a normal, GPI-anchored protein that is expressed on the surface of neurons and other cell types. The structure of PrPC is well understood, based on studies of recombinant PrP, which closely mimics the structure of native PrPC. In contrast, PrPSc is prone to aggregate into a variety of quaternary structures, such as oligomers, amorphous aggregates, and amyloid fibrils. The propensity of PrPSc to assemble into these diverse forms of aggregates is also responsible for our limited knowledge about its structure. Then again, the repeating nature of certain regular PrPSc aggregates has allowed (lower resolution) insights into the structure of the infectious conformer, establishing a four-rung β-solenoid structure as a key element of its architecture.
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23
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Moore RA, Choi YP, Head MW, Ironside JW, Faris R, Ritchie DL, Zanusso G, Priola SA. Relative Abundance of apoE and Aβ1–42 Associated with Abnormal Prion Protein Differs between Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Subtypes. J Proteome Res 2016; 15:4518-4531. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roger A. Moore
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Young Pyo Choi
- Laboratory
Animal Center, Research Division, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu 41068, Republic of Korea
| | - Mark W. Head
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, U.K
| | - James W. Ironside
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, U.K
| | - Robert Faris
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Diane L. Ritchie
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, U.K
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department
of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona 37129, Italy
| | - Suzette A. Priola
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
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A Decentralized Approach to the Formulation of Hypotheses: A Hierarchical Structural Model for a Prion Self-Assembled System. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30633. [PMID: 27464832 PMCID: PMC4964355 DOI: 10.1038/srep30633] [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: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovation in hypotheses is a key transformative driver for scientific development.
The conventional centralized hypothesis formulation approach, where a dominant
hypothesis is typically derived from a primary phenomenon, can, inevitably, impose
restriction on the range of conceivable experiments and legitimate hypotheses, and
ultimately impede understanding of the system of interest. We report herein the
proposal of a decentralized approach for the formulation of hypotheses, through
initial preconception-free phenomenon accumulation and subsequent reticular logical
reasoning processes. The two-step approach can provide an unbiased, panoramic view
of the system and as such should enable the generation of a set of more coherent and
therefore plausible hypotheses. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of the utility
of this open-ended approach, a hierarchical model has been developed for a prion
self-assembled system, allowing insight into hitherto elusive static and dynamic
features associated with this intriguing structure.
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Abstract
Increasingly, evidence argues that many neurodegenerative diseases, including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), are caused by prions, which are alternatively folded proteins undergoing self-propagation. In earlier studies, PSP prions were detected by infecting human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells expressing a tau fragment [TauRD(LM)] fused to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). Here, we report on an improved bioassay using selective precipitation of tau prions from human PSP brain homogenates before infection of the HEK cells. Tau prions were measured by counting the number of cells with TauRD(LM)-YFP aggregates using confocal fluorescence microscopy. In parallel studies, we fused α-synuclein to YFP to bioassay α-synuclein prions in the brains of patients who died of multiple system atrophy (MSA). Previously, MSA prion detection required ∼120 d for transmission into transgenic mice, whereas our cultured cell assay needed only 4 d. Variation in MSA prion levels in four different brain regions from three patients provided evidence for three different MSA prion strains. Attempts to demonstrate α-synuclein prions in brain homogenates from Parkinson's disease patients were unsuccessful, identifying an important biological difference between the two synucleinopathies. Partial purification of tau and α-synuclein prions facilitated measuring the levels of these protein pathogens in human brains. Our studies should facilitate investigations of the pathogenesis of both tau and α-synuclein prion disorders as well as help decipher the basic biology of those prions that attack the CNS.
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