1
|
Suleiman S, McGuire LI, Chong A, Ritchie DL, Boyle A, McManus L, Brydon F, Smith C, Knight R, Green A, Diack AB, Barria MA. Conservation of vCJD Strain Properties After Extraction and In Vitro Propagation of PrP Sc from Archived Formalin-Fixed Brain and Appendix Tissues Using Highly Sensitive Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6275-6293. [PMID: 37442858 PMCID: PMC10533579 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03444-2] [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: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Three retrospective lymphoreticular tissue studies (Appendix I, II, and III) aimed to estimate the UK prevalence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), following exposure of the population to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent, in the late 1980s and 1990s. These studies evaluated the presence of abnormal prion protein aggregates, in archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) appendectomy samples, by immunohistochemical detection. Although there was concordance in the estimated prevalence of vCJD from these studies, the identification of positive specimens from pre- and post-BSE-exposure periods in Appendix III study has raised questions regarding the nature and origin of the detected abnormal prion protein. We applied a robust and novel approach in the extraction of disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) present in frozen and FFPE samples of brain and appendix from a patient with pathologically confirmed vCJD. The extracted material was used to seed the highly sensitive protein misfolding cyclic amplification assay (hsPMCA) to investigate the in vitro and in vivo propagation properties of the extracted abnormal prion protein. We demonstrate that PrPSc can be successfully extracted from FFPE appendix tissue and propagated in vitro. Bioassay in wild-type and gene-targeted mouse models confirmed that the extracted and amplified product is infectious and retains strain properties consistent with vCJD. This provides a highly sensitive and reliable platform for subsequent analysis of the archived FFPE appendix tissue derived from the Appendix II and III surveys, to further evaluate the nature of the abnormal PrP detected in the positive samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Suleiman
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Lynne I McGuire
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Angela Chong
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Diane L Ritchie
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Aileen Boyle
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Lee McManus
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Fraser Brydon
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Colin Smith
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Richard Knight
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alison Green
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Abigail B Diack
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Marcelo A Barria
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Deanery of Clinical Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kim A, Martinez-Valbuena I, Li J, Lang AE, Kovacs GG. Disease-Specific α-Synuclein Seeding in Lewy Body Disease and Multiple System Atrophy Are Preserved in Formaldehyde-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Human Brain. Biomolecules 2023; 13:936. [PMID: 37371515 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have been able to detect α-synuclein (αSyn) seeding in formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues from patients with synucleinopathies using seed amplification assays (SAAs), but with relatively low sensitivity due to limited protein extraction efficiency. With the aim of introducing an alternative option to frozen tissues, we developed a streamlined protein extraction protocol for evaluating disease-specific seeding in FFPE human brain. We evaluated the protein extraction efficiency of different tissue preparations, deparaffinizations, and protein extraction buffers using formaldehyde-fixed and FFPE tissue of a single Lewy body disease (LBD) subject. Alternatively, we incorporated heat-induced antigen retrieval and dissociation using a commercially available kit. Our novel protein extraction protocol has been optimized to work with 10 sections of 4.5-µm-thickness or 2-mm-diameter micro-punch of FFPE tissue that can be used to seed SAAs. We demonstrated that extracted proteins from FFPE still preserve seeding potential and further show disease-specific seeding in LBD and multiple system atrophy. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to recapitulate disease-specific αSyn seeding behaviour in FFPE human brain. Our findings open new perspectives in re-evaluating archived human brain tissue, extending the disease-specific seeding assays to larger cohorts to facilitate molecular subtyping of synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ain Kim
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Jun Li
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Anthony E Lang
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S6, Canada
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S6, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mathiason CK. Large animal models for chronic wasting disease. Cell Tissue Res 2023; 392:21-31. [PMID: 35113219 PMCID: PMC8811588 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03590-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative prion disease of cervid species including deer, elk, moose and reindeer. The disease has shown both geographic and species expansion since its discovery in the late 1960's and is now recognized in captive and free-ranging cervid populations in North America, Asia and Europe. The facile transmission of CWD is unique among prion diseases and has resulted in growing concern for cervid populations and human public health. The development of native cervid host models with longitudinal monitoring has revealed new insights about CWD pathogenesis and transmission dynamics. More than 20 years of experimental studies conducted in these models, using biologically relevant routes of infection, have led to better understanding of many aspect of CWD infections. This review addresses some of these insights, including: (i) the temporal intra-host trafficking of CWD prions in tissues and bodily fluids, (ii) the presence of infectivity shed in bodily excretions that may help explain the facile transmission of CWD, (iii) mother-to-offspring CWD transmission, (iv) the influence of some Prnp polymorphisms on CWD susceptibility, and (vi) continued development of vaccine strategies to mitigate CWD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C K Mathiason
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States, 80523.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Standardization of Data Analysis for RT-QuIC-Based Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020309. [PMID: 36839581 PMCID: PMC9962701 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a disease affecting cervids and is caused by prions accumulating as pathogenic fibrils in lymphoid tissue and the central nervous system. Approaches for detecting CWD prions historically relied on antibody-based assays. However, recent advancements in protein amplification technology provided the foundation for a new class of CWD diagnostic tools. In particular, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) has rapidly become a feasible option for CWD diagnosis. Despite its increased usage for CWD-focused research, there lacks a consensus regarding the interpretation of RT-QuIC data for diagnostic purposes. It is imperative then to identify a standardized and replicable method for determining CWD status from RT-QuIC data. Here, we assessed variables that could impact RT-QuIC results and explored the use of maxpoint ratios (maximumRFU/backgroundRFU) to improve the consistency of RT-QuIC analysis. We examined a variety of statistical analyses to retrospectively analyze CWD status based on RT-QuIC and ELISA results from 668 white-tailed deer lymph nodes. Our results revealed an MPR threshold of 2.0 for determining the rate of amyloid formation, and MPR analysis showed excellent agreement with independent ELISA results. These findings suggest that the use of MPR is a statistically viable option for normalizing between RT-QuIC experiments and defining CWD status.
Collapse
|
5
|
Shin C, Han JY, Kim SI, Park SH, Yang HK, Lee HJ, Kong SH, Suh YS, Kim HJ, Choi YP, Jeon B. In vivo and autopsy validation of alpha-synuclein seeding activity using RT-QuIC assay in the gastrointestinal tract of patients with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2022; 103:23-28. [PMID: 36029607 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In the present study, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay was used to evaluate pathologic alpha-synuclein (AS) seeding activity in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. METHODS This study was conducted in two parts: Part I. a preliminary autopsy study that included four autopsy-confirmed patients with synucleinopathy (2 PD, 1 dementia with Lewy bodies [DLB], and 1 multiple system atrophy [MSA]) and two normal autopsy controls. Frozen and FFPE tissues of the brain were obtained. Part II. a clinical case-control study that included 20 clinically diagnosed PD patients and matched controls. Surgically resected FFPE tissues from the upper and lower GI tracts were used. The RT-QuIC assay was performed to evaluate pathologic seed amplification using frozen or FFPE tissues. The presence or absence of AS aggregation was confirmed by conventional phosphorylated AS (pAS) immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS In Part I, RT-QuIC assay showed pathologic AS amplification in frozen and FFPE brain tissues of PD and DLB patients, and FFPE stomach tissue of PD patients but not in the MSA patient and controls. In Part II, pathologic seeding activity was found in 10% (2/20) of the stomach tissues of clinical PD patients but in none of the matched controls. IHC showed pAS-positive staining in 55% of patients (11/20) and 15% of controls (3/20). CONCLUSION The present study results showed that the RT-QuIC assay using FFPE tissue of the GI tract was inadequate as a biomarker in PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaewon Shin
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University, 20, Bodeum 7-ro, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea; Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, 282, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Youn Han
- Laboratory Animal Center, Division of Research Strategy, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ik Kim
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hye Park
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Kwang Yang
- Department of Surgery, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuk-Joon Lee
- Department of Surgery, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ho Kong
- Department of Surgery, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Suhk Suh
- Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82 Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Joon Kim
- Department of Neurology, MRC and Movement Disorder Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Parkinson Study Group, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Pyo Choi
- Laboratory Animal Center, Division of Research Strategy, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Beomseok Jeon
- Department of Neurology, MRC and Movement Disorder Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Parkinson Study Group, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Assessment of Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) Assay, Immunohistochemistry and ELISA for Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease under Field Conditions in White-Tailed Deer: A Bayesian Approach. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050489. [PMID: 35631010 PMCID: PMC9144059 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prion disease of the cervidae family. ELISA and IHC tests performed postmortem on the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RPLN) or obex are considered diagnostic gold standards for prion detection. However, differences in CWD transmission, stage of infection, pathogenesis, and strain can limit performance. To overcome these uncertainties, we used Bayesian statistics to assess the accuracy of RT-QuIC, an increasingly used prion amplification assay, to diagnose CWD on tonsil (TLN), parotid (PLN) and submandibular lymph nodes (SMLN), and ELISA/IHC on RPLN of white-tailed deer (WTD) sampled from Minnesota. Dichotomous RT-QuIC and ELISA/IHC results from wild (n = 61) and captive (n = 46) WTD were analyzed with two-dependent-test, one-population models. RT-QuIC performed on TLN and SMLN of the wild WTD population had similar sensitivity (median range (MR): 92.2–95.1) to ELISA/IHC on RPLN (MR: 91.1–92.3). Slightly lower (4–7%) sensitivity estimates were obtained from farmed animal and PLN models. RT-QuIC specificity estimates were high (MR: 94.5–98.5%) and similar to ELISA/IHC estimates (MR: 95.7–97.6%) in all models. This study offers new insights on RT-QuIC and ELISA/IHC performance at the population level and under field conditions, an important step in CWD diagnosis and management.
Collapse
|
7
|
Favole A, Mazza M, D'Angelo A, Lombardi G, Palmitessa C, Dell'Atti L, Cagnotti G, Berrone E, Gallo M, Avanzato T, Messana E, Masoero L, Acutis PL, Meloni D, Cardone F, Caramelli M, Casalone C, Corona C. RT-QuIC detection of pathological prion protein in subclinical goats following experimental oral transmission of L-type BSE. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:442. [PMID: 34876215 PMCID: PMC8650279 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05859-3] [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: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent to small ruminants is still a major issue in the surveillance of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy (L-BSE) is an atypical form of BSE with an unknown zoonotic potential that is transmissible to cattle and small ruminants. Our current knowledge of bovine atypical prion strains in sheep and goat relies only on experimental transmission studies by intracranial inoculation. To assess oral susceptibility of goats to L-BSE, we orally inoculated five goats with cattle L-BSE brain homogenates and investigated pathogenic prion protein (PrPsc) distribution by an ultrasensitive in vitro conversion assay known as Real-Time Quaking Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC). Results Despite a prolonged observation period of 80 months, all these animals and the uninfected controls did not develop clinical signs referable to TSEs and tested negative by standard diagnostics. Otherwise, RT-QuIC analysis showed seeding activity in five out of five examined brain samples. PrPsc accumulation was also detected in spinal cord and lymphoreticular system. These results indicate that caprine species are susceptible to L-BSE by oral transmission and that ultrasensitive prion tests deserve consideration to improve the potential of current surveillance systems against otherwise undetectable forms of animal prion infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Favole
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy.
| | - Maria Mazza
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Guerino Lombardi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy
| | - Claudia Palmitessa
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Luana Dell'Atti
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Elena Berrone
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Marina Gallo
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Tiziana Avanzato
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Erika Messana
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Loretta Masoero
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Pier Luigi Acutis
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Meloni
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Maria Caramelli
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Casalone
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristiano Corona
- S.C. Neuroscienze, Lab. di Neurobiologia Sperimentale, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Via Bologna 148, 10154, Turin, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
COMPARISON OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE DETECTION METHODS AND PROCEDURES: IMPLICATIONS FOR FREE-RANGING WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS) SURVEILLANCE AND MANAGEMENT. J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:50-62. [PMID: 34695201 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Throughout North America, chronic wasting disease (CWD) has emerged as perhaps the greatest threat to wild cervid populations, including white-tailed deer (WTD, Odocoileus virginianus). White-tailed deer are the most sought-after big game species across North America with populations of various subspecies in nearly all Canadian provinces, the contiguous US, and Mexico. Documented CWD cases have dramatically increased across the WTD range since the mid-1990s, including in Minnesota. CWD surveillance in free-ranging WTD and other cervid populations mainly depends upon immunodetection methods such as immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes and obex. More recent technologies centered on prion protein amplification methods of detection have shown promise as more sensitive and rapid CWD diagnostic tools. Here, we used blinded samples to test the efficacy of real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) in comparison to ELISA for screening tissues collected in 2019 from WTD in southeastern Minnesota, where CWD has been routinely detected since 2016. Our results support previous findings that RT-QuIC is a more sensitive tool for CWD detection than current antibody-based methods. Additionally, a CWD testing protocol that includes multiple lymphoid tissues (e.g., medial retropharyngeal lymph node, parotid lymph node, and palatine tonsil) per animal can effectively identify a greater number of CWD detections in a WTD population than a single sample type (e.g., medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes). These results show that the variability of CWD pathogenesis, sampling protocol, and testing platform must be considered for the effective detection and management of CWD throughout North America.
Collapse
|
9
|
Cazzaniga FA, Bistaffa E, De Luca CMG, Bufano G, Indaco A, Giaccone G, Moda F. Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Real-Time Quaking Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) assay represents a major diagnostic advance. Eur J Histochem 2021; 65:3298. [PMID: 34657408 PMCID: PMC8529530 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2021.3298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder with an incidence of 1.5 to 2 cases per million population/year. The disease is caused by a proteinaceous infectious agent, named prion (or PrPSc), which arises from the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC). Once formed, PrPSc interacts with the normally folded PrPC coercing it to undergo similar structural rearrangement. The disease is highly heterogeneous from a clinical and neuropathological point of view. The origin of this variability lies in the aberrant structures acquired by PrPSc. At least six different sCJD phenotypes have been described and each of them is thought to be caused by a peculiar PrPSc strain. Definitive sCJD diagnosis requires brain analysis with the aim of identifying intracerebral accumulation of PrPSc which currently represents the only reliable biomarker of the disease. Clinical diagnosis of sCJD is very challenging and is based on the combination of several clinical, instrumental and laboratory tests representing surrogate disease biomarkers. Thanks to the advent of the ultrasensitive Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) assay, PrPSc was found in several peripheral tissues of sCJD patients, sometimes even before the clinical onset of the disease. This discovery represents an important step forward for the clinical diagnosis of sCJD. In this manuscript, we present an overview of the current applications and future perspectives of RT-QuIC in the field of sCJD diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Edoardo Bistaffa
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan.
| | | | - Giuseppe Bufano
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
| | - Antonio Indaco
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan.
| | - Giorgio Giaccone
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
| | - Fabio Moda
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Division of Neurology 5-Neuropathology, Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Singh S, DeMarco ML. In Vitro Conversion Assays Diagnostic for Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies. J Appl Lab Med 2021; 5:142-157. [PMID: 31811072 DOI: 10.1373/jalm.2019.029801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In vitro conversion assays, including real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) techniques, were first developed to study the conversion process of the prion protein to its misfolded, disease-associated conformation. The intrinsic property of prion proteins to propagate their misfolded structure was later exploited to detect subfemtogram quantities of the misfolded protein present in tissues and fluids from humans and animals with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Currently, conversion assays are used clinically as sensitive and specific diagnostic tools for antemortem diagnosis of prion disease. CONTENT In vitro conversion assays are now being applied to the development of diagnostics for related neurodegenerative diseases, including detection of misfolded α-synuclein in Parkinson disease, misfolded amyloid-β in Alzheimer disease, and misfolded tau in Pick disease. Like the predicate prion protein in vitro conversion diagnostics, these assays exploit the ability of endogenously misfolded proteins to induce misfolding and aggregation of their natively folded counterpart in vitro. This property enables biomarker detection of the underlying protein pathology. Herein, we review RT-QuIC and PMCA for (a) prion-, (b) α-synuclein-, (c) amyloid-β-, and (d) tau-opathies. SUMMARY Although already in routine clinical use for the detection of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, in vitro conversion assays for other neurodegenerative disorders require further development and evaluation of diagnostic performance before consideration for clinical implementation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Singh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mari L DeMarco
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, Providence Health Care, Vancouver, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Streamlined alpha-synuclein RT-QuIC assay for various biospecimens in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:62. [PMID: 33827706 PMCID: PMC8028088 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01175-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Definitive diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) relies on postmortem finding of disease-associated alpha-synuclein (αSynD) as misfolded protein aggregates in the central nervous system (CNS). The recent development of the real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay for ultrasensitive detection of αSynD aggregates has revitalized the diagnostic values of clinically accessible biospecimens, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral tissues. However, the current αSyn RT-QuIC assay platforms vary widely and are thus challenging to implement and standardize the measurements of αSynD across a wide range of biospecimens and in different laboratories. We have streamlined αSyn RT-QuIC assay based on a second generation assay platform that was assembled entirely with commercial reagents. The streamlined RT-QuIC method consisted of a simplified protocol requiring minimal hands-on time, and allowing for a uniform analysis of αSynD in different types of biospecimens from PD and DLB. Ultrasensitive and specific RT-QuIC detection of αSynD aggregates was achieved in million-fold diluted brain homogenates and in nanoliters of CSF from PD and DLB cases but not from controls. Comparative analysis revealed higher seeding activity of αSynD in DLB than PD in both brain homogenates and CSF. Our assay was further validated with CSF samples of 214 neuropathologically confirmed cases from tissue repositories (88 PD, 58 DLB, and 68 controls), yielding a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 100%. Finally, a single RT-QuIC assay protocol was employed uniformly to detect seeding activity of αSynD in PD samples across different types of tissues including the brain, skin, salivary gland, and colon. We anticipate that our streamlined protocol will enable interested laboratories to easily and rapidly implement the αSyn RT-QuIC assay for various clinical specimens from PD and DLB. The utilization of commercial products for all assay components will improve the robustness and standardization of the RT-QuIC assay for diagnostic applications across different sites. Due to ultralow sample consumption, the ultrasensitive RT-QuIC assay will facilitate efficient use and sharing of scarce resources of biospecimens. Our streamlined RT-QuIC assay is suitable to track the distribution of αSynD in CNS and peripheral tissues of affected patients. The ongoing evaluation of RT-QuIC assay of αSynD as a potential biomarker for PD and DLB in clinically accessible biospecimens has broad implications for understanding disease pathogenesis, improving early and differential diagnosis, and monitoring therapeutic efficacies in clinical trials.
Collapse
|
12
|
Denkers ND, Hoover CE, Davenport KA, Henderson DM, McNulty EE, Nalls AV, Mathiason CK, Hoover EA. Very low oral exposure to prions of brain or saliva origin can transmit chronic wasting disease. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237410. [PMID: 32817706 PMCID: PMC7446902 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The minimum infectious dose required to induce CWD infection in cervids remains unknown, as does whether peripherally shed prions and/or multiple low dose exposures are important factors in CWD transmission. With the goal of better understand CWD infection in nature, we studied oral exposures of deer to very low doses of CWD prions and also examined whether the frequency of exposure or prion source may influence infection and pathogenesis. We orally inoculated white-tailed deer with either single or multiple divided doses of prions of brain or saliva origin and monitored infection by serial longitudinal tissue biopsies spanning over two years. We report that oral exposure to as little as 300 nanograms (ng) of CWD-positive brain or to saliva containing seeding activity equivalent to 300 ng of CWD-positive brain, were sufficient to transmit CWD disease. This was true whether the inoculum was administered as a single bolus or divided as three weekly 100 ng exposures. However, when the 300 ng total dose was apportioned as 10, 30 ng doses delivered over 12 weeks, no infection occurred. While low-dose exposures to prions of brain or saliva origin prolonged the time from inoculation to first detection of infection, once infection was established, we observed no differences in disease pathogenesis. These studies suggest that the CWD minimum infectious dose approximates 100 to 300 ng CWD-positive brain (or saliva equivalent), and that CWD infection appears to conform more with a threshold than a cumulative dose dynamic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel D. Denkers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Clare E. Hoover
- AstraZeneca Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kristen A. Davenport
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Davin M. Henderson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Erin E. McNulty
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amy V. Nalls
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Edward A. Hoover
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Cooper SK, Hoover CE, Henderson DM, Haley NJ, Mathiason CK, Hoover EA. Detection of CWD in cervids by RT-QuIC assay of third eyelids. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221654. [PMID: 31461493 PMCID: PMC6713355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of chronic wasting disease (CWD) relies on demonstration of the disease-associated misfolded CWD prion protein (PrPCWD) in brain or retropharyngeal lymph node tissue by immunodetection methods, e.g. ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The success of these methods relies on a quality sample of tissues, which requires both anatomical knowledge and considerable dissection to collect. As the prevalence of CWD continues to increase globally, the development of fast and cost-effective methods to detect the disease is vital to facilitate CWD detection and surveillance. To address these issues, we have evaluated third eyelids from CWD-infected deer and elk using real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC). We identified prion seeding activity in third eyelids in 24 of 25 (96%) CWD-infected white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We detected RT-QuIC positivity in the third eyelid as early as 1 month after experimental CWD exposure. In addition, we identified prion seeding activity in third eyelids of 18 of 25 (72%) naturally exposed asymptomatic CWD-positive rocky mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelson). We compared CWD detection by RT-QuIC and IHC in third eyelid, retropharyngeal lymph node, and brain in 10 deer in early symptomatic stage of disease. IHC detected PrPCWD deposition in third eyelid lymphoid follicles in 5 of 10 deer (50%) whereas third eyelids of all 10 animals were positive by RT-QuIC. This difference reflected in part a lower requirement for lymphoid follicle presence for seeding activity detection by RT-QuIC. In conclusion, RT-QuIC analysis of the third eyelid, an easily accessed tissue, has potential to advance CWD detection and testing compliance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Cooper
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Clare E. Hoover
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Davin M. Henderson
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Haley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Edward A. Hoover
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
McNulty E, Nalls AV, Mellentine S, Hughes E, Pulscher L, Hoover EA, Mathiason CK. Comparison of conventional, amplification and bio-assay detection methods for a chronic wasting disease inoculum pool. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216621. [PMID: 31071138 PMCID: PMC6508678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal studies of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in the native host have provided considerable understanding of how this prion disease continues to efficiently spread among cervid species. These studies entail great cost in animal, time and financial support. A variety of methods have emerged including transgenic mouse bioassay, western blot, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry (IHC), serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA) and real time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), that deepen our understanding of this and other protein misfolding disorders. To further characterize an inoculum source used for ongoing CWD studies and to determine how the readouts from each of these assays compare, we assayed a CWD-positive brain pool homogenate (CBP6) and a mouse dilutional bioassay of this homogenate using the above detection methods. We demonstrate that: (i) amplification assays enhanced detection of amyloid seeding activity in the CWD+ cervid brain pool to levels beyond mouse LD50, (ii) conventional detection methods (IHC and western blot) performed well in identifying the presence of PrPSc in terminal brain tissue yet lack sufficient detection sensitivity to identify all CWD-infected mice, and (iii) the incorporation of amplification assays enhanced detection of CWD-infected mice near the LD50. This cross-platform analysis provides a basis to calibrate the relative sensitivities of CWD detection assays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin McNulty
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amy V. Nalls
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Samuel Mellentine
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Erin Hughes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Laura Pulscher
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Edward A. Hoover
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gavin C, Henderson D, Benestad SL, Simmons M, Adkin A. Estimating the amount of Chronic Wasting Disease infectivity passing through abattoirs and field slaughter. Prev Vet Med 2019; 166:28-38. [PMID: 30935503 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2019.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a highly infectious, naturally occurring, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE, or prion disease) affecting many cervid species. CWD has been widely circulating in North America since it was first reported in 1967. In 2016, the first European case of prion disease in deer was reported and confirmed in Norway. There have since been several confirmed several cases in reindeer and moose and in one red deer in Norway, and recently in a moose in Finland. There is concern over the susceptibility of certain species, especially domestic livestock, to CWD. Recently, a study was presented showing transmission to cynomolgus macaques. Although preliminary, these results raise concerns that CWD may be transmissible to humans. This quantitative risk assessment estimates, by stochastic simulation, the titre of infectivity (herein referred to as "infectivity"), that would pass into the human food chain and environment (in the UK) as a result of a single CWD positive red deer passing through an abattoir, or being field dressed. The model estimated that around 11,000 mouse i.c. log ID50 units would enter the human food chain through the farmed route or wild route. The model estimated that there are around 83,000 mouse i.c. log ID50 units in a deer carcase, compared to around 22,000 in a sheep carcase infected with scrapie, mainly due to the size difference between a red deer and a sheep. For farmed deer, the model estimated that 87% of total carcase infectivity would become animal by-product category 3 material, with only 13% going to the food chain and a small amount to wastewater via the abattoir floor. For wild deer, the model estimated that on average, 85% of total carcase infectivity would be buried in the environment, with 13% going to the food chain and 2% to category 3 material which may be used as a protein source in other industries. Results indicate that if CWD was found in the UK there would be a risk of prions entering the human food chain and the environment. However, it is unclear if humans would be susceptible to CWD following consumption of contaminated meat, or what the environmental impact would be. This risk assessment highlights the need for further research in order to quantify the infectivity in all tissue types, in particular blood, gastrointestinal (GI) tract and skeletal muscle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Gavin
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal & Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, KT15 3NB, United Kingdom.
| | - Davin Henderson
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sylvie L Benestad
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, Norway
| | - Marion Simmons
- Department of Pathology, Animal & Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, KT15 3NB, United Kingdom
| | - Amie Adkin
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal & Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, KT15 3NB, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
EVALUATION OF A TEST AND CULL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN MULE DEER ( ODOCOILEUS HEMIONUS). J Wildl Dis 2018; 54:511-519. [PMID: 29667874 DOI: 10.7589/2018-01-015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated a test and cull strategy for lowering chronic wasting disease (CWD) prevalence in a naturally-infected, free-ranging mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) herd wintering in the town of Estes Park, Colorado, US and in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. We tested 48-68% of the estimated number of adult (≥1 yr old) deer annually for 5 yr via tonsil biopsy immunohistochemistry (IHC), collecting 1,251 samples from >700 individuals and removing IHC-positive deer. Among males, CWD prevalence during the last 3 yr of selective culling was lower (one-sided Fisher's exact test P=0.014) than in the period prior. In contrast, CWD prevalence among females before culling and after culling were equivalent ( P=0.777). Relatively higher annual testing of males (mean 77%) compared to females (mean 51%) might have contributed to differences seen in responses to management. A more intensive and sustained effort or modified spatial approach might have reduced prevalence more consistently in both sexes. Limitations of this technique in wider management application include cost and labor as well as property access and animal tolerance to repeated capture. However, elements of this approach could potentially be used to augment harvest-based disease management.
Collapse
|
17
|
Becker K, Wang X, Vander Stel K, Chu Y, Kordower J, Ma J. Detecting Alpha Synuclein Seeding Activity in Formaldehyde-Fixed MSA Patient Tissue by PMCA. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:8728-8737. [PMID: 29589283 PMCID: PMC6153717 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1007-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Alpha synuclein (α-syn) is central to the pathogenesis of a group of neurodegenerative disorders known as synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Aggregation of α-syn is the pathologic hallmark of these disorders and is intimately associated with the pathogenic changes. The prion-like hypothesis postulates that the aggregated α-syn provides a template to seed the aggregation of normal α-syn and spread the pathology. Thus far, it remains unclear whether aggregated α-syn can be a useful biomarker for diagnosis and/or tracking disease progression, which is mainly due to the lack of a suitable biochemical assay. The protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique is known for its enormous amplification power to detect the seeding activity of protein aggregates such as prions. In this study, we adapted PMCA for detecting the seeding activity of α-syn. By extensively optimizing the PMCA parameters, we developed a protocol that is able to sensitively and quantitatively detect the seeding activity of as little as 100 attomoles (10−16 mol) of α-syn aggregate. Using our protocol, we detected α-syn seeding activity from a histologically positive, formaldehyde-fixed MSA sample, but not with the histologically negative, formaldehyde-fixed control sample. Our results confirmed that the α-syn in MSA patient’s brain does contain seeding activity, which remains active even after fixation. Moreover, we also established that PMCA with sonication is a sensitive and quantitative method for detecting α-syn seeding activity, which can be further adapted to more accessible patients’ samples to evaluate α-syn aggregates as a biomarker for synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Becker
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue N.E, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Xinhe Wang
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue N.E, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Kayla Vander Stel
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue N.E, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Yaping Chu
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jeffrey Kordower
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue N.E, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue N.E, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Villar-Piqué A, Schmitz M, Candelise N, Ventura S, Llorens F, Zerr I. Molecular and Clinical Aspects of Protein Aggregation Assays in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:7588-7605. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0926-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
19
|
Henderson DM, Tennant JM, Haley NJ, Denkers ND, Mathiason CK, Hoover EA. Detection of chronic wasting disease prion seeding activity in deer and elk feces by real-time quaking-induced conversion. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:1953-1962. [PMID: 28703697 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emergent prion disease affecting cervid species in North America, Canada, South Korea, and recently, Norway. Detection of CWD has been advanced by techniques that rely on amplification of low levels of prion amyloid to a detectable level. However, the increased sensitivity of amplification assays is often compromised by inhibitors and/or activators in complex biologic samples including body fluids, excreta, or the environment. Here, we adapt real-time quaking-induced conversion conditions to specifically detect CWD prions in fecal samples from both experimentally infected deer and naturally infected elk and estimate environmental contamination. The results have application to detection, surveillance and management of CWD, and potentially to other protein-misfolding diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davin M Henderson
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joanne M Tennant
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas J Haley
- Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Midwestern State University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Nathaniel D Denkers
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Candace K Mathiason
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Edward A Hoover
- Prion Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Infectious Prions in the Pregnancy Microenvironment of Chronic Wasting Disease-Infected Reeves' Muntjac Deer. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.00501-17. [PMID: 28539446 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00501-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ample evidence exists for the presence of infectious agents at the maternal-fetal interface, often with grave outcomes to the developing fetus (i.e., Zika virus, brucella, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasma). While less studied, pregnancy-related transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) have been implicated in several species, including humans. Our previous work has shown that prions can be transferred from mother to offspring, resulting in the development of clinical TSE disease in offspring born to muntjac dams infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) (1). We further demonstrated protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA)-competent prions within the female reproductive tract and in fetal tissues harvested from CWD experimentally and naturally exposed cervids (1, 2). To assess whether the PMCA-competent prions residing at the maternal-fetal interface were infectious and to determine if the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) methodology may enhance our ability to detect amyloid fibrils within the pregnancy microenvironment, we employed a mouse bioassay and RT-QuIC. In this study, we have demonstrated RT-QuIC seeding activity in uterus, placentome, ovary, and amniotic fluid but not in allantoic fluids harvested from CWD-infected Reeves' muntjac dams showing clinical signs of infection (clinically CWD-infected) and in some placentomes from pre-clinically CWD-infected dams. Prion infectivity was confirmed within the uterus, amniotic fluid, and the placentome, the semipermeable interface that sustains the developing fetus, of CWD-infected dams. This is the first report of prion infectivity within the cervid pregnancy microenvironment, revealing a source of fetal CWD exposure prior to the birthing process, maternal grooming, or encounters with contaminated environments.IMPORTANCE The facile dissemination of chronic wasting disease within captive and free-range cervid populations has led to questions regarding the transmission dynamics of this disease. Direct contact with infected animals and indirect contact with infectious prions in bodily fluids and contaminated environments are suspected to explain the majority of this transmission. A third mode of transmission, from mother to offspring, may be underappreciated. The presence of pregnancy-related prion infectivity within the uterus, amniotic fluid, and the placental structure reveals that the developing fetus is exposed to a source of prions long before exposure to the infectious agent during and after the birthing process or via contact with contaminated environments. These findings have impact on our current concept of CWD disease transmission.
Collapse
|
21
|
Kaufman SK, Thomas TL, Del Tredici K, Braak H, Diamond MI. Characterization of tau prion seeding activity and strains from formaldehyde-fixed tissue. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2017; 5:41. [PMID: 28587664 PMCID: PMC5461712 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-017-0442-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) feature progressive intraneuronal deposition of aggregated tau protein. The cause is unknown, but in experimental systems trans-cellular propagation of tau pathology resembles prion pathogenesis. Tau aggregate inoculation into mice produces transmissible pathology, and tau forms distinct strains, i.e. conformers that faithfully replicate and create predictable patterns of pathology in vivo. The prion model predicts that tau seed formation will anticipate neurofibrillary tau pathology. To test this idea requires simultaneous assessment of seed titer and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of brain tissue, but it is unknown whether tau seed titer can be determined in formaldehyde-fixed tissue. We have previously created a cellular biosensor system that uses flow cytometry to quantify induced tau aggregation and thus determine seed titer. In unfixed tissue from PS19 tauopathy mice that express 1 N,4R tau (P301S), we have measured tau seeding activity that precedes the first observable histopathology by many months. Additionally, in fresh frozen tissue from human AD subjects at early to mid-neurofibrillary tangle stages (NFT I-IV), we have observed tau seeding activity in cortical regions predicted to lack neurofibrillary pathology. However, we could not directly compare the same regions by IHC and seeding activity in either case. We now describe a protocol to extract and measure tau seeding activity from small volumes (.04 mm3) of formaldehyde-fixed tissue immediately adjacent to that used for IHC. We validated this method with the PS19 transgenic mouse model, and easily observed seeding well before the development of phospho-tau pathology. We also accurately isolated two tau strains, DS9 and DS10, from fixed brain tissues in mice. Finally, we have observed robust seeding activity in fixed AD brain, but not controls. The successful coupling of classical IHC with seeding and strain detection should enable detailed study of banked brain tissue in AD and other tauopathies.
Collapse
|
22
|
Prion Diagnosis: Application of Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:5413936. [PMID: 28596963 PMCID: PMC5449729 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5413936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prions composed of pathogenic scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) are infectious pathogens that cause progressive neurological conditions known as prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Although these diseases pose considerable risk to public health, procedures for early diagnosis have not been established. One of the most recent attempts at sensitive and specific detection of prions is the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) method, which measures the activity of PrPSc aggregates or amyloid formation triggered by PrPSc seeds in the presence of recombinant PrP. In this review, we summarize prions, prion diseases, and current approaches to diagnosis, including the principle, conditions for assay performance, and current diagnostic applications of RT-QuIC.
Collapse
|
23
|
Pathways of Prion Spread during Early Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.00077-17. [PMID: 28250130 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00077-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Among prion infections, two scenarios of prion spread are generally observed: (i) early lymphoid tissue replication or (ii) direct neuroinvasion without substantial antecedent lymphoid amplification. In nature, cervids are infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions by oral and nasal mucosal exposure, and studies of early CWD pathogenesis have implicated pharyngeal lymphoid tissue as the earliest sites of prion accumulation. However, knowledge of chronological events in prion spread during early infection remains incomplete. To investigate this knowledge gap in early CWD pathogenesis, we exposed white-tailed deer to CWD prions by mucosal routes and performed serial necropsies to assess PrPCWD tissue distribution by real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and tyramide signal amplification immunohistochemistry (TSA-IHC). Although PrPCWD was not detected by either method in the initial days (1 and 3) postexposure, we observed PrPCWD seeding activity and follicular immunoreactivity in oropharyngeal lymphoid tissues at 1 and 2 months postexposure (MPE). At 3 MPE, PrPCWD replication had expanded to all systemic lymphoid tissues. By 4 MPE, the PrPCWD burden in all lymphoid tissues had increased and approached levels observed in terminal disease, yet there was no evidence of nervous system invasion. These results indicate the first site of CWD prion entry is in the oropharynx, and the initial phase of prion amplification occurs in the oropharyngeal lymphoid tissues followed by rapid dissemination to systemic lymphoid tissues. This lymphoid replication phase appears to precede neuroinvasion.IMPORTANCE Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a universally fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting cervids, and natural infection occurs through oral and nasal mucosal exposure to infectious prions. Terminal disease is characterized by PrPCWD accumulation in the brain and lymphoid tissues of affected animals. However, the initial sites of prion accumulation and pathways of prion spread during early CWD infection remain unknown. To investigate the chronological events of early prion pathogenesis, we exposed deer to CWD prions and monitored the tissue distribution of PrPCWD over the first 4 months of infection. We show CWD uptake occurs in the oropharynx with initial prion replication in the draining oropharyngeal lymphoid tissues, rapidly followed by dissemination to systemic lymphoid tissues without evidence of neuroinvasion. These data highlight the two phases of CWD infection: a robust prion amplification in systemic lymphoid tissues prior to neuroinvasion and establishment of a carrier state.
Collapse
|
24
|
Endogenous Brain Lipids Inhibit Prion Amyloid Formation In Vitro. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.02162-16. [PMID: 28202758 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02162-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) resides in detergent-resistant outer membrane lipid rafts in which conversion to the pathogenic misfolded form is believed to occur. Once misfolding occurs, the pathogenic isoform polymerizes into highly stable amyloid fibrils. In vitro assays have demonstrated an intimate association between prion conversion and lipids, specifically phosphatidylethanolamine, which is a critical cofactor in the formation of synthetic infectious prions. In the current work, we demonstrate an alternative inhibitory function of lipids in the prion conversion process as assessed in vitro by real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC). Using an alcohol-based extraction technique, we removed the lipid content from chronic wasting disease (CWD)-infected white-tailed deer brain homogenates and found that lipid extraction enabled RT-QuIC detection of CWD prions in a 2-log10-greater concentration of brain sample. Conversely, addition of brain-derived lipid extracts to CWD prion brain or lymph node samples inhibited amyloid formation in a dose-dependent manner. Subsequent lipid analysis demonstrated that this inhibitory function was restricted to the polar lipid fraction in brain. We further investigated three phospholipids commonly found in lipid membranes, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylinositol, and found all three similarly inhibited RT-QuIC. These results demonstrating polar-lipid, and specifically phospholipid, inhibition of prion-seeded amyloid formation highlight the diverse roles lipid constituents may play in the prion conversion process.IMPORTANCE Prion conversion is likely influenced by lipid interactions, given the location of normal prion protein (PrPC) in lipid rafts and lipid cofactors generating infectious prions in in vitro models. Here, we use real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) to demonstrate that endogenous brain polar lipids can inhibit prion-seeded amyloid formation, suggesting that prion conversion is guided by an environment of proconversion and anticonversion lipids. These experiments also highlight the applicability of RT-QuIC to identify potential therapeutic inhibitors of prion conversion.
Collapse
|
25
|
West Greenlee MH, Lind M, Kokemuller R, Mammadova N, Kondru N, Manne S, Smith J, Kanthasamy A, Greenlee J. Temporal Resolution of Misfolded Prion Protein Transport, Accumulation, Glial Activation, and Neuronal Death in the Retinas of Mice Inoculated with Scrapie. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2016; 186:2302-9. [PMID: 27521336 PMCID: PMC5012505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2016.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Currently, there is a lack of pathological landmarks to describe the progression of prion disease in vivo. Our goal was to use an experimental model to determine the temporal relationship between the transport of misfolded prion protein (PrP(Sc)) from the brain to the retina, the accumulation of PrP(Sc) in the retina, the response of the surrounding retinal tissue, and loss of neurons. Retinal samples from mice inoculated with RML scrapie were collected at 30, 60, 90, 105, and 120 days post inoculation (dpi) or at the onset of clinical signs of disease (153 dpi). Retinal homogenates were tested for prion seeding activity. Antibody staining was used to assess accumulation of PrP(Sc) and the resulting response of retinal tissue. Loss of photoreceptors was used as a measure of neuronal death. PrP(Sc) seeding activity was first detected in all samples at 60 dpi. Accumulation of PrP(Sc) and coincident activation of retinal glia were first detected at 90 dpi. Activation of microglia was first detected at 105 dpi, but neuronal death was not detectable until 120 dpi. Our results demonstrate that by using the retina we can resolve the temporal separation between several key events in the pathogenesis of prion disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Heather West Greenlee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa; Virus and Prion Disease Unit, National Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa.
| | - Melissa Lind
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa
| | - Robyn Kokemuller
- Virus and Prion Disease Unit, National Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Najiba Mammadova
- Virus and Prion Disease Unit, National Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Naveen Kondru
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa
| | - Sireesha Manne
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa
| | - Jodi Smith
- Virus and Prion Disease Unit, National Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| | - Anumantha Kanthasamy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa
| | - Justin Greenlee
- Virus and Prion Disease Unit, National Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa
| |
Collapse
|