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Wang SS, Meng ZL, Zhang YW, Yan YS, Li LB. Prion protein E219K polymorphism: from the discovery of the KANNO blood group to interventions for human prion disease. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1392984. [PMID: 39050130 PMCID: PMC11266091 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1392984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
KANNO is a new human blood group that was recently discovered. The KANNO antigen shares the PRNP gene with the prion protein and the prion protein E219K polymorphism determines the presence or absence of the KANNO antigen and the development of anti-KANNO alloantibodies. These alloantibodies specifically react with prion proteins, which serve as substrates for conversion into pathological isoforms in some prion diseases and may serve as effective targets for resisting prion infection. These findings establish a potential link between the KANNO blood group and human prion disease via the prion protein E219K polymorphism. We reviewed the interesting correlation between the human PRNP gene's E219K polymorphism and the prion proteins it expresses, as well as human red blood cell antigens. Based on the immune serological principles of human blood cells, the prion protein E219K polymorphism may serve as a foundation for earlier molecular diagnosis and future drug development for prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Si Wang
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhao-Li Meng
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi-Shuang Yan
- Department of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ling-Bo Li
- Aikang MedTech Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
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2
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Li Q, Zhu Y, Meng X, Tong HHY, Liu H. Experiment and molecular dynamics simulations reveal proanthocyanidin B2 and B3 can inhibit prion aggregation by different mechanisms. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:2424-2436. [PMID: 37144732 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2209663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by the misfolding and aggregation of prion protein (PrP), and the inhibition of PrP aggregation is one of the most effective therapeutic strategies. Proanthocyanidin B2 (PB2) and B3 (PB3), the effective natural antioxidants have been evaluated for the inhibition of amyloid-related protein aggregation. Since PrP has similar aggregation mechanism with other amyloid-related proteins, will PB2 and PB3 affect the aggregation of PrP? In this paper, experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods were combined to investigate the influence of PB2 and PB3 on PrP aggregation. Thioflavin T assays showed PB2 and PB3 could inhibit PrP aggregation in a concentrate-dependent manner in vitro. To understand the underlying mechanism, we performed 400 ns all-atom MD simulations. The results suggested PB2 could stabilize the α2 C-terminus and the hydrophobic core of protein by stabilizing two important salt bridges R156-E196 and R156-D202, and consequently made global structure of protein more stable. Surprisingly, PB3 could not stabilize PrP, which may inhibit PrP aggregation through a different mechanism. Since dimerization is the first step of aggregation, will PB3 inhibit PrP aggregation by inhibiting the dimerization? To verify our assumption, we then explored the effect of PB3 on protein dimerization by performing 800 ns MD simulations. The results suggested PB3 could reduce the residue contacts and hydrogen bonds between two monomers, preventing dimerization process of PrP. The possible inhibition mechanism of PB2 and PB3 on PrP aggregation could provide useful information for drug development against prion diseases.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Li
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, SAR, China
| | - Yongchang Zhu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Shijiazhuang University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Meng
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Henry H Y Tong
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, SAR, China
| | - Huanxiang Liu
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, SAR, China
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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3
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Abdeeva IA, Maloshenok LG, Pogorelko GV, Bruskin SA. Using an RNA Aptamer to Inhibit the Action of Effector Proteins of Plant Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16604. [PMID: 38068927 PMCID: PMC10705891 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In previous work, we experimentally demonstrated the possibility of using RNA aptamers to inhibit endogenous protein expression and their function within plant cells In the current work, we show that our proposed method is suitable for inhibiting the functions of exogenous, foreign proteins delivered into the plant via various mechanisms, including pathogen proteins. Stringent experimentation produced robust RNA aptamers that are able to bind to the recombinant HopU1 effector protein of P. syringae bacteria. This research uses genetic engineering methods to constitutively express/transcribe HopU1 RNA aptamers in transgenic A. thaliana. Our findings support the hypothesis that HopU1 aptamers can actively interfere with the function of the HopU1 protein and thereby increase resistance to phytopathogens of the genus P. syringae pv. tomato DC 3000.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna A. Abdeeva
- N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str. 3, 119333 Moscow, Russia (S.A.B.)
| | - Liliya G. Maloshenok
- N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str. 3, 119333 Moscow, Russia (S.A.B.)
| | - Gennady V. Pogorelko
- N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str. 3, 119333 Moscow, Russia (S.A.B.)
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Sergey A. Bruskin
- N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Gubkina Str. 3, 119333 Moscow, Russia (S.A.B.)
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4
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Desta IT, Kotelnikov S, Jones G, Ghani U, Abyzov M, Kholodov Y, Standley DM, Beglov D, Vajda S, Kozakov D. The ClusPro AbEMap web server for the prediction of antibody epitopes. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:1814-1840. [PMID: 37188806 PMCID: PMC10898366 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00826-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies play an important role in the immune system by binding to molecules called antigens at their respective epitopes. These interfaces or epitopes are structural entities determined by the interactions between an antibody and an antigen, making them ideal systems to analyze by using docking programs. Since the advent of high-throughput antibody sequencing, the ability to perform epitope mapping using only the sequence of the antibody has become a high priority. ClusPro, a leading protein-protein docking server, together with its template-based modeling version, ClusPro-TBM, have been re-purposed to map epitopes for specific antibody-antigen interactions by using the Antibody Epitope Mapping server (AbEMap). ClusPro-AbEMap offers three different modes for users depending on the information available on the antibody as follows: (i) X-ray structure, (ii) computational/predicted model of the structure or (iii) only the amino acid sequence. The AbEMap server presents a likelihood score for each antigen residue of being part of the epitope. We provide detailed information on the server's capabilities for the three options and discuss how to obtain the best results. In light of the recent introduction of AlphaFold2 (AF2), we also show how one of the modes allows users to use their AF2-generated antibody models as input. The protocol describes the relative advantages of the server compared to other epitope-mapping tools, its limitations and potential areas of improvement. The server may take 45-90 min depending on the size of the proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel T Desta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sergei Kotelnikov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - George Jones
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Usman Ghani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Daron M Standley
- Department of Genome Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Dmitri Beglov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sandor Vajda
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
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5
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L P Hosszu L, Sangar D, Batchelor M, Risse E, Hounslow AM, Collinge J, Waltho JP, Bieschke J. Loss of residues 119 - 136, including the first β-strand of human prion protein, generates an aggregation-competent partially "open" form. J Mol Biol 2023:168158. [PMID: 37244570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168158] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In prion replication, the cellular form of prion protein (PrPC) must undergo a full conformational transition to its disease-associated fibrillar form. Transmembrane forms of PrP have been implicated in this structural conversion. The cooperative unfolding of a structural core in PrPC presents a substantial energy barrier to prion formation, with membrane insertion and detachment of parts of PrP presenting a plausible route to its reduction. Here, we examined the removal of residues 119 - 136 of PrP, a region which includes the first β-strand and a substantial portion of the conserved hydrophobic region of PrP, a region which associates with the ER membrane, on the structure, stability and self-association of the folded domain of PrPC. We see an "open" native-like conformer with increased solvent exposure which fibrilises more readily than the native state. These data suggest a stepwise folding transition, which is initiated by the conformational switch to this "open" form of PrPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo L P Hosszu
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Daljit Sangar
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Mark Batchelor
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Emmanuel Risse
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Andrea M Hounslow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jonathan P Waltho
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Jan Bieschke
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
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6
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Desta IT, Kotelnikov S, Jones G, Ghani U, Abyzov M, Kholodov Y, Standley DM, Sabitova M, Beglov D, Vajda S, Kozakov D. Mapping of antibody epitopes based on docking and homology modeling. Proteins 2023; 91:171-182. [PMID: 36088633 PMCID: PMC9822860 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies are key proteins produced by the immune system to target pathogen proteins termed antigens via specific binding to surface regions called epitopes. Given an antigen and the sequence of an antibody the knowledge of the epitope is critical for the discovery and development of antibody based therapeutics. In this work, we present a computational protocol that uses template-based modeling and docking to predict epitope residues. This protocol is implemented in three major steps. First, a template-based modeling approach is used to build the antibody structures. We tested several options, including generation of models using AlphaFold2. Second, each antibody model is docked to the antigen using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) based docking program PIPER. Attention is given to optimally selecting the docking energy parameters depending on the input data. In particular, the van der Waals energy terms are reduced for modeled antibodies relative to x-ray structures. Finally, ranking of antigen surface residues is produced. The ranking relies on the docking results, that is, how often the residue appears in the docking poses' interface, and also on the energy favorability of the docking pose in question. The method, called PIPER-Map, has been tested on a widely used antibody-antigen docking benchmark. The results show that PIPER-Map improves upon the existing epitope prediction methods. An interesting observation is that epitope prediction accuracy starting from antibody sequence alone does not significantly differ from that of starting from unbound (i.e., separately crystallized) antibody structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel T. Desta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sergei Kotelnikov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - George Jones
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Usman Ghani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | | | - Daron M. Standley
- Department of Genome Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Maria Sabitova
- Department of Mathematics, CUNY Queens College, Flushing, NY 11367, USA
| | - Dmitri Beglov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Sandor Vajda
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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7
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Halder P, Mitra P. Human prion protein: exploring the thermodynamic stability and structural dynamics of its pathogenic mutants. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:11274-11290. [PMID: 34338141 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1957715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Human familial prion diseases are known to be associated with different single-point mutants of the gene coding for prion protein with a primary focus at several locations of the globular domain. We have identified 12 different single-point pathogenic mutants of human prion protein (HuPrP) with the help of extensive perturbations/mutation technique at multiple locations of HuPrP sequence related to potentiality towards conformational disorders. Among these, some of the mutants include pathogenic variants that corroborate well with the literature reported proteins while majority include some unique single-point mutants that are either not explicitly studied early or studied for variants with different residues at the specific position. Primarily, our study sheds light on the unfolding mechanism of the above mentioned mutants in depth. Besides, we could identify some mutants under investigation that demonstrates not only unfolding of the helical structures but also extension and generation of the β-sheet structures and or simultaneously have highly exposed hydrophobic surface which is assumed to be linked with the production of aggregate/fibril structures of the prion protein. Among the identified mutants, Q212E needs special attention due to its maximum exposure of hydrophobic core towards solvent and E200Q is found to be important due to its maximum extent of β-content. We are also able to identify different respective structural conformations of the proteins according to their degree of structural unfolding and those conformations can be extracted and further studied in detail. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puspita Halder
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Pralay Mitra
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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8
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A high-content neuron imaging assay demonstrates inhibition of prion disease-associated neurotoxicity by an anti-prion protein antibody. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9493. [PMID: 35680944 PMCID: PMC9184462 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13455-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop disease-modifying therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases which pose increasing challenges to global healthcare systems. Prion diseases, although rare, provide a paradigm to study neurodegenerative dementias as similar disease mechanisms involving propagation and spread of multichain assemblies of misfolded protein ("prion-like" mechanisms) are increasingly recognised in the commoner conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. However, studies of prion disease pathogenesis in mouse models showed that prion propagation and neurotoxicity can be mechanistically uncoupled and in vitro assays confirmed that highly purified prions are indeed not directly neurotoxic. To aid development of prion disease therapeutics we have therefore developed a cell-based assay for the specific neurotoxicity seen in prion diseases rather than to simply assess inhibition of prion propagation. We applied this assay to examine an anti-prion protein mouse monoclonal antibody (ICSM18) known to potently cure prion-infected cells and to delay onset of prion disease in prion-infected mice. We demonstrate that whilst ICSM18 itself lacks inherent neurotoxicity in this assay, it potently blocks prion disease-associated neurotoxicity.
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Shafiq M, Da Vela S, Amin L, Younas N, Harris DA, Zerr I, Altmeppen HC, Svergun D, Glatzel M. The prion protein and its ligands: Insights into structure-function relationships. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2022; 1869:119240. [PMID: 35192891 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The prion protein is a multifunctional protein that exists in at least two different folding states. It is subject to diverse proteolytic processing steps that lead to prion protein fragments some of which are membrane-bound whereas others are soluble. A multitude of ligands bind to the prion protein and besides proteinaceous binding partners, interaction with metal ions and nucleic acids occurs. Although of great importance, information on structural and functional consequences of prion protein binding to its partners is limited. Here, we will reflect on the structure-function relationship of the prion protein and its binding partners considering the different folding states and prion protein fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg c/o German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Neelam Younas
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hermann C Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg c/o German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
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Mead S, Khalili-Shirazi A, Potter C, Mok T, Nihat A, Hyare H, Canning S, Schmidt C, Campbell T, Darwent L, Muirhead N, Ebsworth N, Hextall P, Wakeling M, Linehan J, Libri V, Williams B, Jaunmuktane Z, Brandner S, Rudge P, Collinge J. Prion protein monoclonal antibody (PRN100) therapy for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: evaluation of a first-in-human treatment programme. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:342-354. [PMID: 35305340 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00082-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human prion diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), are rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative conditions with no effective therapies. Their pathogenesis involves the obligate recruitment of cellular prion protein (PrPC) into self-propagating multimeric assemblies or prions. Preclinical studies have firmly validated the targeting of PrPC as a therapeutic strategy. We aimed to evaluate a first-in-human treatment programme using an anti-PrPC monoclonal antibody under a Specials Licence. METHODS We generated a fully humanised anti-PrPC monoclonal antibody (an IgG4κ isotype; PRN100) for human use. We offered treatment with PRN100 to six patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable CJD who were not in the terminal disease stages at the point of first assessment and who were able to readily travel to the University College London Hospital (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility, London, UK, for treatment. After titration (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg at 48-h intervals), patients were treated with 80-120 mg/kg of intravenous PRN100 every 2 weeks until death or withdrawal from the programme, or until the supply of PRN100 was exhausted, and closely monitored for evidence of adverse effects. Disease progression was assessed by use of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Disease Rating Scale, Motor Scale, and Cognitive Scale, and compared with that of untreated natural history controls (matched for disease severity, subtype, and PRNP codon 129 genotype) recruited between Oct 1, 2008, and July 31, 2018, from the National Prion Monitoring Cohort study. Autopsies were done in two patients and findings were compared with those from untreated natural history controls. FINDINGS We treated six patients (two men; four women) with CJD for 7-260 days at UCLH between Oct 9, 2018, and July 31, 2019. Repeated intravenous dosing of PRN100 was well tolerated and reached the target CSF drug concentration (50 nM) in four patients after 22-70 days; no clinically significant adverse reactions were seen. All patients showed progressive neurological decline on serial assessments with the MRC Scales. Neuropathological examination was done in two patients (patients 2 and 3) and showed no evidence of cytotoxicity. Patient 2, who was treated for 140 days, had the longest clinical duration we have yet documented for iatrogenic CJD and showed patterns of disease-associated PrP that differed from untreated patients with CJD, consistent with drug effects. Patient 3, who had sporadic CJD and only received one therapeutic dose of 80 mg/kg, had weak PrP synaptic labelling in the periventricular regions, which was not a feature of untreated patients with sporadic CJD. Brain tissue-bound drug concentrations across multiple regions in patient 2 ranged from 9·9 μg per g of tissue (SD 0·3) in the thalamus to 27·4 μg per g of tissue (1·5) in the basal ganglia (equivalent to 66-182 nM). INTERPRETATION Our academic-led programme delivered what is, to our knowledge, the first rationally designed experimental treatment for human prion disease to a small number of patients with CJD. The treatment appeared to be safe and reached encouraging CSF and brain tissue concentrations. These findings justify the need for formal efficacy trials in patients with CJD at the earliest possible clinical stages and as prophylaxis in those at risk of prion disease due to PRNP mutations or prion exposure. FUNDING The Cure CJD Campaign, the National Institute for Health Research UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, the Jon Moulton Charitable Trust, and the UK MRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Azadeh Khalili-Shirazi
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Caroline Potter
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tzehow Mok
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Akin Nihat
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Harpreet Hyare
- Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Stephanie Canning
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Schmidt
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tracy Campbell
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lee Darwent
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicola Muirhead
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolette Ebsworth
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Patrick Hextall
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Madeleine Wakeling
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline Linehan
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Libri
- NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK; Clinical Research Facility, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Bryan Williams
- NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Brandner
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Peter Rudge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
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11
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Adhikari UK, Tayebi M. Epitope-specific anti-PrP antibody toxicity: a comparative in-silico study of human and mouse prion proteins. Prion 2021; 15:155-176. [PMID: 34632945 PMCID: PMC8900626 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2021.1964326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite having therapeutic potential, anti-PrP antibodies caused a major controversy due to their neurotoxic effects. For instance, treating mice with ICSM antibodies delayed prion disease onset, but both were found to be either toxic or innocuous to neurons by researchers following cross-linking PrPC. In order to elucidate and understand the reasons that led to these contradictory outcomes, we conducted a comprehensive in silico study to assess the antibody-specific toxicity. Since most therapeutic anti-PrP antibodies were generated against human truncated recombinant PrP91-231 or full-length mouse PrP23-231, we reasoned that host specificity (human vs murine) of PrPC might influence the nature of the specific epitopes recognized by these antibodies at the structural level possibly explaining the 'toxicity' discrepancies reported previously. Initially, molecular dynamics simulation and pro-motif analysis of full-length human (hu)PrP and mouse (mo)PrP 3D structure displayed conspicuous structural differences between huPrP and moPrP. We identified 10 huPrP and 6 moPrP linear B-cell epitopes from the prion protein 3D structure where 5 out of 10 huPrP and 3 out of 6 moPrP B-cell epitopes were predicted to be potentially toxic in immunoinformatics approaches. Herein, we demonstrate that some of the predicted potentially 'toxic' epitopes identified by the in silico analysis were similar to the epitopes recognized by the toxic antibodies such as ICSM18 (146-159), POM1 (138-147), D18 (133-157), ICSM35 (91-110), D13 (95-103) and POM3 (95-100). This in silico study reveals the role of host specificity of PrPC in epitope-specific anti-PrP antibody toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mourad Tayebi
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
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12
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Novel quaternary structures of the human prion protein globular domain. Biochimie 2021; 191:118-125. [PMID: 34517052 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prion disease is caused by the misfolding of the cellular prion protein, PrPC, into a self-templating conformer, PrPSc. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray crystallography revealed the 3D structure of the globular domain of PrPC and the possibility of its dimerization via an interchain disulfide bridge that forms due to domain swap or by non-covalent association of two monomers. On the contrary, PrPSc is composed by a complex and heterogeneous ensemble of poorly defined conformations and quaternary arrangements that are related to different patterns of neurotoxicity. Targeting PrPC with molecules that stabilize the native conformation of its globular domain emerged as a promising approach to develop anti-prion therapies. One of the advantages of this approach is employing structure-based drug discovery methods to PrPC. Thus, it is essential to expand our structural knowledge about PrPC as much as possible to aid such drug discovery efforts. In this work, we report a crystallographic structure of the globular domain of human PrPC that shows a novel dimeric form and a novel oligomeric arrangement. We use molecular dynamics simulations to explore its structural dynamics and stability and discuss potential implications of these new quaternary structures to the conversion process.
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13
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Garzón DN, Castillo Y, Navas-Zuloaga MG, Darwin L, Hardin A, Culik N, Yang A, Castillo-Garsow C, Ríos-Soto K, Arriola L, Ghosh A. Dynamics of prion proliferation under combined treatment of pharmacological chaperones and interferons. J Theor Biol 2021; 527:110797. [PMID: 34090904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Prions are proteins that cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases. The misfolded conformation adopted by prions can be transmitted to other normally folded proteins. Therapeutics to stop prion proliferation have been studied experimentally; however, it is not clear how the combination of different types of treatments can decrease the growth rate of prions in the brain. In this article, we combine the implementation of pharmacological chaperones and interferons to develop a novel model using a non-linear system of ordinary differential equations and study the quantitative effects of these two treatments on the growth rate of prions. This study aims to identify how the two treatments affect prion proliferation, both individually and in tandem. We analyze the model, and qualitative global results on the disease-free and disease equilibria are proved analytically. Numerical simulations, using parameter values from in vivo experiments that provide a pharmaceutically important demonstration of the effects of these two treatments, are presented here. This mathematical model can be used to identify and optimize the best combination of the treatments within their safe ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anji Yang
- University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, China
| | | | | | - Leon Arriola
- Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 53190, USA
| | - Aditi Ghosh
- Department of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 53190, USA.
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14
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Ney B, Eratne D, Lewis V, Ney L, Li QX, Stehmann C, Collins S, Velakoulis D. The Three Glycotypes in the London Classification System of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Differ in Disease Duration. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3983-3991. [PMID: 33904020 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02396-9] [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: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is the most common form of CJD and is believed to be caused by the misfolding and aggregation of endogenous prion protein. Several classification systems have been developed to correlate the molecular characteristics of these misfolded prions (PrPSc) to the heterogeneous clinical presentations of sCJD. A central component of these systems is glycotyping, which involves the interpretation of the results of western immunoblotting of the protease-resistant fragment of the misfolded prion protein (PrPres). The two main classification systems differ in their recognition of a unique banding pattern on electrophoretic gels correlating to a putative clinical subtype. The perpetuation of both classification systems within scientific literature is, in part, due to a paucity of high-level evidence that conclusively addresses the merit of recognising each unique banding pattern. Here, 110 post-mortem confirmed cases of sCJD collected at the Australian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry (ANCJDR) between 1993 and 2018 were analysed and classified as per the London classification system. The data presented here demonstrated that sCJD cases with 'type 1' and 'type 2' PrPSc as defined by the London classification system differ in their disease duration. No other differences in clinical phenotype or biological characteristics were found to be statistically significant. These findings highlight the importance of sample size and replicability in analyses of this rare disease process. Recognising these glycotypes as phenotypically distinct may represent 'best practice' in the collection and processing of sCJD samples within international registries for research purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blair Ney
- Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. .,Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. .,St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia.
| | - Dhamidhu Eratne
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Victoria Lewis
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Luke Ney
- School of Medicine (Psychology), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 30, Sandy Bay, TAS, 7005, Australia
| | - Qiao-Xin Li
- National Dementia Diagnostics Laboratory, Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Christiane Stehmann
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Steven Collins
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,National Dementia Diagnostics Laboratory, Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Dennis Velakoulis
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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15
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Hosszu LLP, Conners R, Sangar D, Batchelor M, Sawyer EB, Fisher S, Cliff MJ, Hounslow AM, McAuley K, Leo Brady R, Jackson GS, Bieschke J, Waltho JP, Collinge J. Structural effects of the highly protective V127 polymorphism on human prion protein. Commun Biol 2020; 3:402. [PMID: 32728168 PMCID: PMC7391680 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01126-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, a group of incurable, lethal neurodegenerative disorders of mammals including humans, are caused by prions, assemblies of misfolded host prion protein (PrP). A single point mutation (G127V) in human PrP prevents prion disease, however the structural basis for its protective effect remains unknown. Here we show that the mutation alters and constrains the PrP backbone conformation preceding the PrP β-sheet, stabilising PrP dimer interactions by increasing intermolecular hydrogen bonding. It also markedly changes the solution dynamics of the β2-α2 loop, a region of PrP structure implicated in prion transmission and cross-species susceptibility. Both of these structural changes may affect access to protein conformers susceptible to prion formation and explain its profound effect on prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo L P Hosszu
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Rebecca Conners
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
- University of Bristol, School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Clifton, BS8 1TD, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Daljit Sangar
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Mark Batchelor
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Elizabeth B Sawyer
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Stuart Fisher
- Diamond Light Source, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
- ESRF, 71, Avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Matthew J Cliff
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Andrea M Hounslow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Katherine McAuley
- Diamond Light Source, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - R Leo Brady
- University of Bristol, School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Clifton, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Graham S Jackson
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jan Bieschke
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jonathan P Waltho
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
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16
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Di Natale C, La Manna S, Avitabile C, Florio D, Morelli G, Netti PA, Marasco D. Engineered β-hairpin scaffolds from human prion protein regions: Structural and functional investigations of aggregates. Bioorg Chem 2020; 96:103594. [PMID: 31991323 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The investigation of conformational features of regions of amyloidogenic proteins are of great interest to deepen the structural changes and consequent self-aggregation mechanisms at the basis of many neurodegenerative diseases. Here we explore the effect of β-hairpin inducing motifs on regions of prion protein covering strands S1 and S2. In detail, we unveiled the structural and functional features of two model chimeric peptides in which natural sequences are covalently linked together by two dipeptides (l-Pro-Gly and d-Pro-Gly) that are known to differently enhance β-hairpin conformations but both containing N- and the C-terminal aromatic cap motifs to further improve interactions between natural strands. Spectroscopic investigations at solution state indicate that primary assemblies of the monomers of both constructs follow different aggregativemechanisms during the self-assembly: these distinctions, evidenced by CD and ThT emission spectroscopies, reflect into great morphological differences of nanostructures and suggest that rigid β-hairpin conformations greatly limit amyloid-like fibrillogenesis. Overall data confirm the important role exerted by the β-structure of regions S1 and S2 during the aggregation process and lead to speculate to its persistence even in unfolding conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Di Natale
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy; Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Sara La Manna
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Avitabile
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniele Florio
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Antonio Netti
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy; Task force di Ateneo"METODOLOGIE ANALITICHE PER LA SALVAGUARDIA DEI BENI CULTURALI" MASBC, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy.
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17
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Holec SA, Block AJ, Bartz JC. The role of prion strain diversity in the development of successful therapeutic treatments. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 175:77-119. [PMID: 32958242 PMCID: PMC8939712 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prions are a self-propagating misfolded conformation of a cellular protein. Prions are found in several eukaryotic organisms with mammalian prion diseases encompassing a wide range of disorders. The first recognized prion disease, the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), affect several species including humans. Alzheimer's disease, synucleinopathies, and tauopathies share a similar mechanism of self-propagation of the prion form of the disease-specific protein reminiscent of the infection process of TSEs. Strain diversity in prion disease is characterized by differences in the phenotype of disease that is hypothesized to be encoded by strain-specific conformations of the prion form of the disease-specific protein. Prion therapeutics that target the prion form of the disease-specific protein can lead to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of prions, consistent with the hypothesis that prion strains exist as a dynamic mixture of a dominant strain in combination with minor substrains. To overcome this obstacle, therapies that reduce or eliminate the template of conversion are efficacious, may reverse neuropathology, and do not result in the emergence of drug resistance. Recent advancements in preclinical diagnosis of prion infection may allow for a combinational approach that treats the prion form and the precursor protein to effectively treat prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A.M. Holec
- Institute for Applied Life Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States,Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Alyssa J. Block
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jason C. Bartz
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States,Corresponding author:
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18
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Abskharon R, Wang F, Wohlkonig A, Ruan J, Soror S, Giachin G, Pardon E, Zou W, Legname G, Ma J, Steyaert J. Structural evidence for the critical role of the prion protein hydrophobic region in forming an infectious prion. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008139. [PMID: 31815959 PMCID: PMC6922452 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion or PrPSc is the proteinaceous infectious agent causing prion diseases in various mammalian species. Despite decades of research, the structural basis for PrPSc formation and prion infectivity remains elusive. To understand the role of the hydrophobic region in forming infectious prion at the molecular level, we report X-ray crystal structures of mouse (Mo) prion protein (PrP) (residues 89-230) in complex with a nanobody (Nb484). Using the recombinant prion propagation system, we show that the binding of Nb484 to the hydrophobic region of MoPrP efficiently inhibits the propagation of proteinase K resistant PrPSc and prion infectivity. In addition, when added to cultured mouse brain slices in high concentrations, Nb484 exhibits no neurotoxicity, which is drastically different from other neurotoxic anti-PrP antibodies, suggesting that the Nb484 can be a potential therapeutic agent against prion disease. In summary, our data provides the first structure-function evidence supporting a crucial role of the hydrophobic region of PrP in forming an infectious prion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romany Abskharon
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
- National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Fei Wang
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FW); (JM); (JS)
| | - Alexandre Wohlkonig
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Juxin Ruan
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sameh Soror
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Center of Excellence, Helwan Structural Biology Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - Els Pardon
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wenquan Zou
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FW); (JM); (JS)
| | - Jan Steyaert
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail: (FW); (JM); (JS)
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19
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Baral PK, Yin J, Aguzzi A, James MNG. Transition of the prion protein from a structured cellular form (PrP C ) to the infectious scrapie agent (PrP Sc ). Protein Sci 2019; 28:2055-2063. [PMID: 31583788 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases in mammals are caused by a conformational transition of the cellular prion protein from its native conformation (PrPC ) to a pathological isoform called "prion protein scrapie" (PrPSc ). A molecular level of understanding of this conformational transition will be helpful in unveiling the disease etiology. Experimental structural biological techniques (NMR and X-ray crystallography) have been used to unravel the atomic level structural information for the prion and its binding partners. More than one hundred three-dimensional structures of the mammalian prions have been deposited in the protein databank. Structural studies on the prion protein and its structural transitions will deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of prion pathogenesis and will provide valuable guidance for future structure-based drug discovery endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravas K Baral
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jiang Yin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael N G James
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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20
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McDonald AJ, Leon DR, Markham KA, Wu B, Heckendorf CF, Schilling K, Showalter HD, Andrews PC, McComb ME, Pushie MJ, Costello CE, Millhauser GL, Harris DA. Altered Domain Structure of the Prion Protein Caused by Cu 2+ Binding and Functionally Relevant Mutations: Analysis by Cross-Linking, MS/MS, and NMR. Structure 2019; 27:907-922.e5. [PMID: 30956132 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cellular isoform of the prion protein (PrPC) serves as precursor to the infectious isoform (PrPSc), and as a cell-surface receptor, which binds misfolded protein oligomers as well as physiological ligands such as Cu2+ ions. PrPC consists of two domains: a flexible N-terminal domain and a structured C-terminal domain. Both the physiological and pathological functions of PrP depend on intramolecular interactions between these two domains, but the specific amino acid residues involved have proven challenging to define. Here, we employ a combination of chemical cross-linking, mass spectrometry, NMR, molecular dynamics simulations, and functional assays to identify residue-level contacts between the N- and C-terminal domains of PrPC. We also determine how these interdomain contacts are altered by binding of Cu2+ ions and by functionally relevant mutations. Our results provide a structural basis for interpreting both the normal and toxic activities of PrP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J McDonald
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Deborah R Leon
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Kathleen A Markham
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Bei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Christian F Heckendorf
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Kevin Schilling
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Hollis D Showalter
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Philip C Andrews
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mark E McComb
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - M Jake Pushie
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Catherine E Costello
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Center for Biomedical Mass Spectrometry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Glenn L Millhauser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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21
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Forloni G, Roiter I, Tagliavini F. Clinical trials of prion disease therapeutics. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2019; 44:53-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2019.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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22
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Structural Determinants of the Prion Protein N-Terminus and Its Adducts with Copper Ions. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010018. [PMID: 30577569 PMCID: PMC6337743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The N-terminus of the prion protein is a large intrinsically disordered region encompassing approximately 125 amino acids. In this paper, we review its structural and functional properties, with a particular emphasis on its binding to copper ions. The latter is exploited by the region’s conformational flexibility to yield a variety of biological functions. Disease-linked mutations and proteolytic processing of the protein can impact its copper-binding properties, with important structural and functional implications, both in health and disease progression.
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Mok TH, Koriath C, Jaunmuktane Z, Campbell T, Joiner S, Wadsworth JDF, Hosszu LLP, Brandner S, Parvez A, Truelsen TC, Lund EL, Saha R, Collinge J, Mead S. Evaluating the causality of novel sequence variants in the prion protein gene by example. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 71:265.e1-265.e7. [PMID: 29861043 PMCID: PMC6175539 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The estimation of pathogenicity and penetrance of novel prion protein gene (PRNP) variants presents significant challenges, particularly in the absence of family history, which precludes the application of Mendelian segregation. Moreover, the ambiguities of prion disease pathophysiology renders conventional in silico predictions inconclusive. Here, we describe 2 patients with rapid cognitive decline progressing to akinetic mutism and death within 10 weeks of symptom onset, both of whom possessed the novel T201S variant in PRNP. Clinically, both satisfied diagnostic criteria for probable sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and in one, the diagnosis was confirmed by neuropathology. While computational analyses predicted that T201S was possibly deleterious, molecular strain typing, prion protein structural considerations, and calculations leveraging large-scale population data (gnomAD) indicate that T201S is at best either of low penetrance or nonpathogenic. Thus, we illustrate the utility of harnessing multiple lines of prion disease-specific evidence in the evaluation of the T201S variant, which may be similarly applied to assess other novel variants in PRNP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tze How Mok
- MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Carolin Koriath
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tracy Campbell
- MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Susan Joiner
- MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | | | | | - Sebastian Brandner
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ambereen Parvez
- Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Eva Løbner Lund
- Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Romi Saha
- Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre, Sussex, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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Purro SA, Mead S, Khalili-Shirazi A, Nicoll AJ, Collinge J. Reply to: Intrinsic Toxicity of Antibodies to the Globular Domain of the Prion Protein. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:e53-e54. [PMID: 29752071 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia A Purro
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Mead
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Azadeh Khalili-Shirazi
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Nicoll
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
The cellular prion protein, PrPC, is a small, cell surface glycoprotein with a function that is currently somewhat ill defined. It is also the key molecule involved in the family of neurodegenerative disorders called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which are also known as prion diseases. The misfolding of PrPC to a conformationally altered isoform, designated PrPTSE, is the main molecular process involved in pathogenesis and appears to precede many other pathologic and clinical manifestations of disease, including neuronal loss, astrogliosis, and cognitive loss. PrPTSE is also believed to be the major component of the infectious "prion," the agent responsible for disease transmission, and preparations of this protein can cause prion disease when inoculated into a naïve host. Thus, understanding the biochemical and biophysical properties of both PrPC and PrPTSE, and ultimately the mechanisms of their interconversion, is critical if we are to understand prion disease biology. Although entire books could be devoted to research pertaining to the protein, herein we briefly review the state of knowledge of prion biochemistry, including consideration of prion protein structure, function, misfolding, and dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Gill
- School of Chemistry, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom; Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew R Castle
- Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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26
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Sarell CJ, Quarterman E, Yip DCM, Terry C, Nicoll AJ, Wadsworth JDF, Farrow MA, Walsh DM, Collinge J. Soluble Aβ aggregates can inhibit prion propagation. Open Biol 2018; 7:rsob.170158. [PMID: 29142106 PMCID: PMC5717343 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.170158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prions cause lethal neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) and consist of multi-chain assemblies of misfolded cellular prion protein (PrPC). Ligands that bind to PrPC can inhibit prion propagation and neurotoxicity. Extensive prior work established that certain soluble assemblies of the Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated amyloid β-protein (Aβ) can tightly bind to PrPC, and that this interaction may be relevant to their toxicity in AD. Here, we investigated whether such soluble Aβ assemblies might, conversely, have an inhibitory effect on prion propagation. Using cellular models of prion infection and propagation and distinct Aβ preparations, we found that the form of Aβ assemblies which most avidly bound to PrP in vitro also inhibited prion infection and propagation. By contrast, forms of Aβ which exhibit little or no binding to PrP were unable to attenuate prion propagation. These data suggest that soluble aggregates of Aβ can compete with prions for binding to PrPC and emphasize the bidirectional nature of the interplay between Aβ and PrPC in Alzheimer's and prion diseases. Such inhibitory effects of Aβ on prion propagation may contribute to the apparent fall-off in the incidence of sporadic CJD at advanced age where cerebral Aβ deposition is common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire J Sarell
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Emma Quarterman
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Daniel C-M Yip
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Cassandra Terry
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Andrew J Nicoll
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jonathan D F Wadsworth
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Mark A Farrow
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Dominic M Walsh
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK .,Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Research, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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27
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Baral PK, Swayampakula M, Aguzzi A, James MNG. Structural characterization of
POM
6 Fab and mouse prion protein complex identifies key regions for prions conformational conversion. FEBS J 2018; 285:1701-1714. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.14438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pravas Kumar Baral
- Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Mridula Swayampakula
- Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology University of Zurich Switzerland
| | - Michael N. G. James
- Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta Edmonton Canada
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Abstract
Prion diseases are associated with the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), a glycoprotein expressed at the surface of a wide variety of cell types, into a misfolded conformer (the scrapie form of PrP, or PrPSc) that accumulates in brain tissues of affected individuals. PrPSc is a self-catalytic protein assembly capable of recruiting native conformers of PrPC, and causing their rearrangement into new PrPSc molecules. Several previous attempts to identify therapeutic agents against prion diseases have targeted PrPSc, and a number of compounds have shown potent anti-prion effects in experimental models. Unfortunately, so far, none of these molecules has successfully been translated into effective therapies for prion diseases. Moreover, mounting evidence suggests that PrPSc might be a difficult pharmacological target because of its poorly defined structure, heterogeneous composition, and ability to generate different structural conformers (known as prion strains) that can elude pharmacological intervention. In the last decade, a less intuitive strategy to overcome all these problems has emerged: targeting PrPC, the common substrate of any prion strain replication. This alternative approach possesses several technical and theoretical advantages, including the possibility of providing therapeutic effects also for other neurodegenerative disorders, based on recent observations indicating a role for PrPC in delivering neurotoxic signals of different misfolded proteins. Here, we provide an overview of compounds claimed to exert anti-prion effects by directly binding to PrPC, discussing pharmacological properties and therapeutic potentials of each chemical class.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nunzio Iraci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Silvia Biggi
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Violetta Cecchetti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy.
- Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, 20156 Milan, Italy.
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29
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Purro SA, Nicoll AJ, Collinge J. Prion Protein as a Toxic Acceptor of Amyloid-β Oligomers. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:358-368. [PMID: 29331212 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The initial report that cellular prion protein (PrPC) mediates toxicity of amyloid-β species linked to Alzheimer's disease was initially treated with scepticism, but growing evidence supports this claim. That there is a high-affinity interaction is now clear, and its molecular basis is being unraveled, while recent studies have identified possible downstream toxic mechanisms. Determination of the clinical significance of such interactions between PrPC and disease-associated amyloid-β species will require experimental medicine studies in humans. Trials of compounds that inhibit PrP-dependent amyloid-β toxicity are commencing in humans, and although it is clear that only a fraction of Alzheimer's disease toxicity could be governed by PrPC, a partial, but still therapeutically useful, role in human disease may soon be testable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia A Purro
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Nicoll
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom; Elkington and Fife LLP, Kent, United Kingdom.
| | - John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom.
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30
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Longhena F, Spano P, Bellucci A. Targeting of Disordered Proteins by Small Molecules in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 245:85-110. [PMID: 28965171 DOI: 10.1007/164_2017_60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The formation of protein aggregates and inclusions in the brain and spinal cord is a common neuropathological feature of a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and many others. These are commonly referred as neurodegenerative proteinopathies or protein-misfolding diseases. The main characteristic of protein aggregates in these disorders is the fact that they are enriched in amyloid fibrils. Since protein aggregation is considered to play a central role for the onset of neurodegenerative proteinopathies, research is ongoing to develop strategies aimed at preventing or removing protein aggregation in the brain of affected patients. Numerous studies have shown that small molecule-based approaches may be potentially the most promising for halting protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, several of these compounds have been found to interact with intrinsically disordered proteins and promote their clearing in experimental models. This notwithstanding, at present small molecule inhibitors still awaits achievements for clinical translation. Hopefully, if we determine whether the formation of insoluble inclusions is effectively neurotoxic and find a valid biomarker to assess their protein aggregation-inhibitory activity in the human central nervous system, the use of small molecule inhibitors will be considered as a cure for neurodegenerative protein-misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Longhena
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
| | - PierFranco Spano
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy
| | - Arianna Bellucci
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa No. 11, Brescia, 25123, Italy.
- Laboratory of Personalized and Preventive Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
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31
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Simões ICM, Coimbra JTS, Neves RPP, Costa IPD, Ramos MJ, Fernandes PA. Properties that rank protein:protein docking poses with high accuracy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:20927-20942. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp03888k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The development of docking algorithms to predict near-native structures of protein:protein complexes from the structure of the isolated monomers is of paramount importance for molecular biology and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês C. M. Simões
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
| | - João T. S. Coimbra
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
| | - Rui P. P. Neves
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
| | - Inês P. D. Costa
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
| | - Maria J. Ramos
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
| | - Pedro A. Fernandes
- UCIBIO
- REQUIMTE
- Departamento de Química e Bioquímica
- Faculdade de Ciências
- Universidade do Porto
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32
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Takada LT, Kim MO, Metcalf S, Gala II, Geschwind MD. Prion disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 148:441-464. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64076-5.00029-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Discovery of small molecules binding to the normal conformation of prion by combining virtual screening and multiple biological activity evaluation methods. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2017; 31:1053-1062. [PMID: 29159521 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-017-0086-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Conformational conversion of the normal cellular prion protein, PrPC, into the misfolded isoform, PrPSc, is considered to be a central event in the development of fatal neurodegenerative diseases. Stabilization of prion protein at the normal cellular form (PrPC) with small molecules is a rational and efficient strategy for treatment of prion related diseases. However, few compounds have been identified as potent prion inhibitors by binding to the normal conformation of prion. In this work, to rational screening of inhibitors capable of stabilizing cellular form of prion protein, multiple approaches combining docking-based virtual screening, steady-state fluorescence quenching, surface plasmon resonance and thioflavin T fluorescence assay were used to discover new compounds interrupting PrPC to PrPSc conversion. Compound 3253-0207 that can bind to PrPC with micromolar affinity and inhibit prion fibrillation was identified from small molecule databases. Molecular dynamics simulation indicated that compound 3253-0207 can bind to the hotspot residues in the binding pocket composed by β1, β2 and α2, which are significant structure moieties in conversion from PrPC to PrPSc.
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34
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Genetic human prion disease modelled in PrP transgenic Drosophila. Biochem J 2017; 474:3253-3267. [PMID: 28814578 PMCID: PMC5606059 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Inherited human prion diseases, such as fatal familial insomnia (FFI) and familial Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (fCJD), are associated with autosomal dominant mutations in the human prion protein gene PRNP and accumulation of PrPSc, an abnormal isomer of the normal host protein PrPC, in the brain of affected individuals. PrPSc is the principal component of the transmissible neurotoxic prion agent. It is important to identify molecular pathways and cellular processes that regulate prion formation and prion-induced neurotoxicity. This will allow identification of possible therapeutic interventions for individuals with, or at risk from, genetic human prion disease. Increasingly, Drosophila has been used to model human neurodegenerative disease. An important unanswered question is whether genetic prion disease with concomitant spontaneous prion formation can be modelled in Drosophila. We have used pUAST/PhiC31-mediated site-directed mutagenesis to generate Drosophila transgenic for murine or hamster PrP (prion protein) that carry single-codon mutations associated with genetic human prion disease. Mouse or hamster PrP harbouring an FFI (D178N) or fCJD (E200K) mutation showed mild Proteinase K resistance when expressed in Drosophila. Adult Drosophila transgenic for FFI or fCJD variants of mouse or hamster PrP displayed a spontaneous decline in locomotor ability that increased in severity as the flies aged. Significantly, this mutant PrP-mediated neurotoxic fly phenotype was transferable to recipient Drosophila that expressed the wild-type form of the transgene. Collectively, our novel data are indicative of the spontaneous formation of a PrP-dependent neurotoxic phenotype in FFI- or CJD-PrP transgenic Drosophila and show that inherited human prion disease can be modelled in this invertebrate host.
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Abstract
In this review, we detail our current knowledge of PrPSc structure on the basis of structural and computational studies. We discuss the progress toward an atomic resolution description of PrPSc and results from the broader field of amyloid studies that may further inform our knowledge of this structure. Moreover, we summarize work that investigates the role of PrPSc structure in its toxicity, transmissibility, and species specificity. We look forward to an atomic model of PrPSc, which is expected to bring diagnostics and/or therapeutics to the field of prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Molecular Biology Institute (MBI), and Brain Research Institute (BRI), David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - David S Eisenberg
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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36
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Wu B, McDonald AJ, Markham K, Rich CB, McHugh KP, Tatzelt J, Colby DW, Millhauser GL, Harris DA. The N-terminus of the prion protein is a toxic effector regulated by the C-terminus. eLife 2017; 6:e23473. [PMID: 28527237 PMCID: PMC5469617 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PrPC, the cellular isoform of the prion protein, serves to transduce the neurotoxic effects of PrPSc, the infectious isoform, but how this occurs is mysterious. Here, using a combination of electrophysiological, cellular, and biophysical techniques, we show that the flexible, N-terminal domain of PrPC functions as a powerful toxicity-transducing effector whose activity is tightly regulated in cis by the globular C-terminal domain. Ligands binding to the N-terminal domain abolish the spontaneous ionic currents associated with neurotoxic mutants of PrP, and the isolated N-terminal domain induces currents when expressed in the absence of the C-terminal domain. Anti-PrP antibodies targeting epitopes in the C-terminal domain induce currents, and cause degeneration of dendrites on murine hippocampal neurons, effects that entirely dependent on the effector function of the N-terminus. NMR experiments demonstrate intramolecular docking between N- and C-terminal domains of PrPC, revealing a novel auto-inhibitory mechanism that regulates the functional activity of PrPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
| | - Alex J McDonald
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
| | - Kathleen Markham
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, United States
| | - Celeste B Rich
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
| | - Kyle P McHugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, United States
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department of Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Neurobiochemistry, Adolf Butenandt Institute, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - David W Colby
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, United States
| | - Glenn L Millhauser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, United States
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
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37
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Understanding the Effect of Disease-Related Mutations on Human Prion Protein Structure: Insights From NMR Spectroscopy. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2017; 150:83-103. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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38
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Collinge J. Mammalian prions and their wider relevance in neurodegenerative diseases. Nature 2016; 539:217-226. [PMID: 27830781 DOI: 10.1038/nature20415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prions are notorious protein-only infectious agents that cause invariably fatal brain diseases following silent incubation periods that can span a lifetime. These diseases can arise spontaneously, through infection or be inherited. Remarkably, prions are composed of self-propagating assemblies of a misfolded cellular protein that encode information, generate neurotoxicity and evolve and adapt in vivo. Although parallels have been drawn with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions involving the deposition of assemblies of misfolded proteins in the brain, insights are now being provided into the usefulness and limitations of prion analogies and their aetiological and therapeutic relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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39
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Ma B, Zhao J, Nussinov R. Conformational selection in amyloid-based immunotherapy: Survey of crystal structures of antibody-amyloid complexes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1860:2672-81. [PMID: 27266343 PMCID: PMC5610039 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dominant feature in neurodegenerative diseases is protein aggregations that lead to neuronal loss. Immunotherapies using antibodies or antibody fragments to target the aggregations are a highly perused approach. The molecular mechanisms underlying the amyloid-based immunotherapy are complex. Deciphering the properties of amyloidogenic proteins responsible for these diseases is essential to obtain insights into antibody recognition of the amyloid antigens. SCOPE OF REVIEW We systematically explore all available crystal structures of antibody-amyloid complexes related to neurodegenerative diseases, including antibodies that recognize the Aβ peptide, tau protein, prion protein, alpha-synuclein, huntingtin protein (mHTT), and polyglutamine. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS We found that antibodies mostly use the conformational selection mechanism to recognize the highly flexible amyloid antigens. In particular, solanezumab bound to Aβ12-28 tripeptide motif conformation (F19F20A21), which is shared with the Aβ42 fibril. This motif, which is trapped by the antibody, may provide the missing link in amyloid formation. Water molecules often bridge between the antibody and amyloid, contributing to the recognition. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This paper provides the structural basis for antibody recognition of amyloidogenic proteins. The analysis and discussion of known structures are expected to help in the design and optimization of antibodies in neurodegenerative diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "System Genetics" Guest Editor: Dr. Yudong Cai and Dr. Tao Huang.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buyong Ma
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States.
| | - Jun Zhao
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, United States; Sackler Inst. of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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MacLea KS. What Makes a Prion: Infectious Proteins From Animals to Yeast. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 329:227-276. [PMID: 28109329 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
While philosophers in ancient times had many ideas for the cause of contagion, the modern study of infective agents began with Fracastoro's 1546 proposal that invisible "spores" spread infectious disease. However, firm categorization of the pathogens of the natural world would need to await a mature germ theory that would not arise for 300 years. In the 19th century, the earliest pathogens described were bacteria and other cellular microbes. By the close of that century, the work of Ivanovsky and Beijerinck introduced the concept of a virus, an infective particle smaller than any known cell. Extending into the early-mid-20th century there was an explosive growth in pathogenic microbiology, with a cellular or viral cause identified for nearly every transmissible disease. A few occult pathogens remained to be discovered, including the infectious proteins (prions) proposed by Prusiner in 1982. This review discusses the prions identified in mammals, yeasts, and other organisms, focusing on the amyloid-based prions. I discuss the essential biochemical properties of these agents and the application of this knowledge to diseases of protein misfolding and aggregation, as well as the utility of yeast as a model organism to study prion and amyloid proteins that affect human and animal health. Further, I summarize the ideas emerging out of these studies that the prion concept may go beyond proteinaceous infectious particles and that prions may be a subset of proteins having general nucleating or seeding functions involved in noninfectious as well as infectious pathogenic protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S MacLea
- University of New Hampshire, Manchester, NH, United States.
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41
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Thompson DA, Evans EGB, Kasza T, Millhauser GL, Dawson PE. Adapter reagents for protein site specific dye labeling. Biopolymers 2016; 102:273-9. [PMID: 24599728 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chemoselective protein labeling remains a significant challenge in chemical biology. Although many selective labeling chemistries have been reported, the practicalities of matching the reaction with appropriately functionalized proteins and labeling reagents is often a challenge. For example, we encountered the challenge of site specifically labeling the cellular form of the murine Prion protein with a fluorescent dye. To facilitate this labeling, a protein was expressed with site specific p-acetylphenylalanine. However, the utility of this acetophenone reactive group is hampered by the severe lack of commercially available aminooxy fluorophores. Here we outline a general strategy for the efficient solid phase synthesis of adapter reagents capable of converting maleimido-labels into aminooxy or azide functional groups that can be further tuned for desired length or solubility properties. The utility of the adapter strategy is demonstrated in the context of fluorescent labeling of the murine Prion protein through an adapted aminooxy-Alexa dye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren A Thompson
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA, 92037
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42
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Protective V127 prion variant prevents prion disease by interrupting the formation of dimer and fibril from molecular dynamics simulations. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21804. [PMID: 26906032 PMCID: PMC4764842 DOI: 10.1038/srep21804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies uncovered a novel protective prion protein variant: V127 variant, which was reported intrinsically resistant to prion conversion and propagation. However, the structural basis of its protective effect is still unknown. To uncover the origin of the protective role of V127 variant, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the influence of G127V mutation on two key processes of prion propagation: dimerization and fibril formation. The simulation results indicate V127 variant is unfavorable to form dimer by reducing the main-chain H-bond interactions. The simulations of formed fibrils consisting of β1 strand prove V127 variant will make the formed fibril become unstable and disorder. The weaker interaction energies between layers and reduced H-bonds number for V127 variant reveal this mutation is unfavorable to the formation of stable fibril. Consequently, we find V127 variant is not only unfavorable to the formation of dimer but also unfavorable to the formation of stable core and fibril, which can explain the mechanism on the protective role of V127 variant from the molecular level. Our findings can deepen the understanding of prion disease and may guide the design of peptide mimetics or small molecule to mimic the protective effect of V127 variant.
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Singh J, Udgaonkar JB. The Pathogenic Mutation T182A Converts the Prion Protein into a Molten Globule-like Conformation Whose Misfolding to Oligomers but Not to Fibrils Is Drastically Accelerated. Biochemistry 2016; 55:459-69. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b01266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jogender Singh
- National Centre for Biological
Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
| | - Jayant B. Udgaonkar
- National Centre for Biological
Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
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Reimann RR, Sonati T, Hornemann S, Herrmann US, Arand M, Hawke S, Aguzzi A. Differential Toxicity of Antibodies to the Prion Protein. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005401. [PMID: 26821311 PMCID: PMC4731068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies against the prion protein PrPC can antagonize prion replication and neuroinvasion, and therefore hold promise as possible therapeutics against prion diseases. However, the safety profile of such antibodies is controversial. It was originally reported that the monoclonal antibody D13 exhibits strong target-related toxicity, yet a subsequent study contradicted these findings. We have reported that several antibodies against certain epitopes of PrPC, including antibody POM1, are profoundly neurotoxic, yet antibody ICSM18, with an epitope that overlaps with POM1, was reported to be innocuous when injected into mouse brains. In order to clarify this confusing situation, we assessed the neurotoxicity of antibodies D13 and ICSM18 with dose-escalation studies using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and various histological techniques. We report that both D13 and ICSM18 induce rapid, dose-dependent, on-target neurotoxicity. We conclude that antibodies directed to this region may not be suitable as therapeutics. No such toxicity was found when antibodies against the flexible tail of PrPC were administered. Any attempt at immunotherapy or immunoprophylaxis of prion diseases should account for these potential untoward effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina R. Reimann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tiziana Sonati
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Uli S. Herrmann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Arand
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Hawke
- Vascular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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45
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Singh J, Udgaonkar JB. Molecular Mechanism of the Misfolding and Oligomerization of the Prion Protein: Current Understanding and Its Implications. Biochemistry 2015; 54:4431-42. [PMID: 26171558 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, make up a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders linked with the misfolding and aggregation of the prion protein (PrP). Although it is not yet understood how the misfolding of PrP induces neurodegeneration, it is widely accepted that the formation of misfolded prion protein (termed PrP(Sc)) is both the triggering event in the disease and the main component of the infectious agent responsible for disease transmission. Despite the clear involvement of PrP(Sc) in prion diseases, the exact composition of PrP(Sc) is not yet well-known. Recent studies show that misfolded oligomers of PrP could, however, be responsible for neurotoxicity and/or infectivity in the prion diseases. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanism of formation of the misfolded oligomers of PrP is critical for developing an understanding about the prion diseases and for developing anti-prion therapeutics. This review discusses recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanism of misfolded oligomer formation by PrP and its implications for the development of anti-prion therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jogender Singh
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
| | - Jayant B Udgaonkar
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru 560065, India
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46
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A naturally occurring variant of the human prion protein completely prevents prion disease. Nature 2015; 522:478-81. [PMID: 26061765 PMCID: PMC4486072 DOI: 10.1038/nature14510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian prions, transmissible agents causing lethal neurodegenerative diseases, are composed of assemblies of misfolded cellular prion protein (PrP). A novel PrP variant, G127V, was under positive evolutionary selection during the epidemic of kuru--an acquired prion disease epidemic of the Fore population in Papua New Guinea--and appeared to provide strong protection against disease in the heterozygous state. Here we have investigated the protective role of this variant and its interaction with the common, worldwide M129V PrP polymorphism. V127 was seen exclusively on a M129 PRNP allele. We demonstrate that transgenic mice expressing both variant and wild-type human PrP are completely resistant to both kuru and classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) prions (which are closely similar) but can be infected with variant CJD prions, a human prion strain resulting from exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy prions to which the Fore were not exposed. Notably, mice expressing only PrP V127 were completely resistant to all prion strains, demonstrating a different molecular mechanism to M129V, which provides its relative protection against classical CJD and kuru in the heterozygous state. Indeed, this single amino acid substitution (G→V) at a residue invariant in vertebrate evolution is as protective as deletion of the protein. Further study in transgenic mice expressing different ratios of variant and wild-type PrP indicates that not only is PrP V127 completely refractory to prion conversion but acts as a potent dose-dependent inhibitor of wild-type prion propagation.
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Yu L, Lee SJ, Yee VC. Crystal Structures of Polymorphic Prion Protein β1 Peptides Reveal Variable Steric Zipper Conformations. Biochemistry 2015; 54:3640-8. [PMID: 25978088 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of prion diseases is associated with the conformational conversion of normal, predominantly α-helical prion protein (PrP(C)) into a pathogenic form that is enriched with β-sheets (PrP(Sc)). Several PrP(C) crystal structures have revealed β1-mediated intermolecular sheets, suggesting that the β1 strand may contribute to a possible initiation site for β-sheet-mediated PrP(Sc) propagation. This β1 strand contains the polymorphic residue 129 that influences disease susceptibility and phenotype. To investigate the effect of the residue 129 polymorphism on the conformation of amyloid-like continuous β-sheets formed by β1, crystal structures of β1 peptides containing each of the polymorphic residues were determined. To probe the conformational influence of the peptide construct design, four different lengths of β1 peptides were studied. From the 12 peptides studied, 11 yielded crystal structures ranging in resolution from 0.9 to 1.4 Å. This ensemble of β1 crystal structures reveals conformational differences that are influenced by both the nature of the polymorphic residue and the extent of the peptide construct, indicating that comprehensive studies in which peptide constructs vary are a more rigorous approach to surveying conformational possibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yu
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Seung-Joo Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
| | - Vivien C Yee
- Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
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Risse E, Nicoll AJ, Taylor WA, Wright D, Badoni M, Yang X, Farrow MA, Collinge J. Identification of a Compound That Disrupts Binding of Amyloid-β to the Prion Protein Using a Novel Fluorescence-based Assay. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:17020-8. [PMID: 25995455 PMCID: PMC4505445 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.637124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP) has been implicated both in prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, where its monomeric cellular isoform (PrPC) is recruited into pathogenic self-propagating polymers of misfolded protein, and in Alzheimer disease, where PrPC may act as a receptor for synaptotoxic oligomeric forms of amyloid-β (Aβ). There has been considerable interest in identification of compounds that bind to PrPC, stabilizing its native fold and thereby acting as pharmacological chaperones to block prion propagation and pathogenesis. However, compounds binding PrPC could also inhibit the binding of toxic Aβ species and may have a role in treating Alzheimer disease, a highly prevalent dementia for which there are currently no disease-modifying treatments. However, the absence of a unitary, readily measurable, physiological function of PrP makes screening for ligands challenging, and the highly heterogeneous nature of Aβ oligomer preparations makes conventional competition binding assays difficult to interpret. We have therefore developed a high-throughput screen that utilizes site-specifically fluorescently labeled protein to identify compounds that bind to PrP and inhibit both Aβ binding and prion propagation. Following a screen of 1,200 approved drugs, we identified Chicago Sky Blue 6B as the first small molecule PrP ligand capable of inhibiting Aβ binding, demonstrating the feasibility of development of drugs to block this interaction. The interaction of Chicago Sky Blue 6B was characterized by isothermal titration calorimetry, and its ability to inhibit Aβ binding and reduce prion levels was established in cell-based assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Risse
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J Nicoll
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - William A Taylor
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Wright
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Mayank Badoni
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaofan Yang
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Mark A Farrow
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - John Collinge
- From the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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Singh J, Udgaonkar JB. Structural Effects of Multiple Pathogenic Mutations Suggest a Model for the Initiation of Misfolding of the Prion Protein. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201501011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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50
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Singh J, Udgaonkar JB. Structural Effects of Multiple Pathogenic Mutations Suggest a Model for the Initiation of Misfolding of the Prion Protein. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:7529-33. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201501011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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