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Daude N, Lau A, Vanni I, Kang SG, Castle AR, Wohlgemuth S, Dorosh L, Wille H, Stepanova M, Westaway D. Prion protein with a mutant N-terminal octarepeat region undergoes cobalamin-dependent assembly into high-molecular weight complexes. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101770. [PMID: 35271850 PMCID: PMC9010764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrPC) has a C-terminal globular domain and a disordered N-terminal region encompassing five octarepeats (ORs). Encounters between Cu(II) ions and four OR sites produce interchangeable binding geometries; however, the significance of Cu(II) binding to ORs in different combinations is unclear. To understand the impact of specific binding geometries, OR variants were designed that interact with multiple or single Cu(II) ions in specific locked coordinations. Unexpectedly, we found that one mutant produced detergent-insoluble, protease-resistant species in cells in the absence of exposure to the infectious prion protein isoform, scrapie-associated prion protein (PrPSc). Formation of these assemblies, visible as puncta, was reversible and dependent upon medium formulation. Cobalamin (Cbl), a dietary cofactor containing a corrin ring that coordinates a Co3+ ion, was identified as a key medium component, and its effect was validated by reconstitution experiments. Although we failed to find evidence that Cbl interacts with Cu-binding OR regions, we instead noted interactions of Cbl with the PrPC C-terminal domain. We found that some interactions occurred at a binding site of planar tetrapyrrole compounds on the isolated globular domain, but others did not, and N-terminal sequences additionally had a marked effect on their presence and position. Our studies define a conditional effect of Cbl wherein a mutant OR region can act in cis to destabilize a globular domain with a wild type sequence. The unexpected intersection between the properties of PrPSc's disordered region, Cbl, and conformational remodeling events may have implications for understanding sporadic prion disease that does not involve exposure to PrPSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Daude
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Agnes Lau
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Ilaria Vanni
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Sang-Gyun Kang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew R Castle
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Serene Wohlgemuth
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Lyudmyla Dorosh
- Faculty of Engineering - Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Stepanova
- Faculty of Engineering - Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept, University of Alberta, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Canada.
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do Amaral MJ, Freire MHO, Almeida MS, Pinheiro AS, Cordeiro Y. Phase separation of the mammalian prion protein: physiological and pathological perspectives. J Neurochem 2022. [PMID: 35149997 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal phase transitions have been implicated in the occurrence of proteinopathies. Disordered proteins with nucleic acid binding ability drive the formation of reversible micron-sized condensates capable of controlling nucleic acid processing/transport. This mechanism, achieved via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), underlies the formation of long-studied membraneless organelles (e.g., nucleolus) and various transient condensates formed by driver proteins. The prion protein (PrP) is not a classical nucleic acid-binding protein. However, it binds nucleic acids with high affinity, undergoes nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, contains a long intrinsically disordered region rich in glycines and evenly spaced aromatic residues, among other biochemical/biophysical properties of bona fide drivers of phase transitions. Because of this, our group and others have characterized LLPS of recombinant PrP. In vitro phase separation of PrP is modulated by nucleic acid aptamers, and, depending on the aptamer conformation, the liquid droplets evolve to solid-like species. Herein we discuss recent studies and previous evidence supporting PrP phase transitions. We focus on the central role of LLPS related to PrP physiology and pathology, with a special emphasis on the interaction of PrP with different ligands, such as proteins and nucleic acids, which can play a role in prion disease pathogenesis. Finally, we comment on therapeutic strategies directed at the nonfunctional phase separation that could potentially tackle prion diseases or other protein misfolding disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana J do Amaral
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Anderson S Pinheiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Yraima Cordeiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Metal Ions Bound to Prion Protein Affect its Interaction with Plasminogen Activation System. Protein J 2022; 41:88-96. [PMID: 35038117 PMCID: PMC8863686 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-021-10035-4] [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] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative diseases, which can progress rapidly. Previous data have demonstrated that prion protein (PrP) stimulates activation of plasminogen (Plg) by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). In this study, using spectroscopic method, we aimed to determine whether PrP’s role in activating Plg is influenced by metal binding. We also investigated the region in PrP involved in binding to tPA and Plg, and whether PrP in fibrillar form behaves the same way as PrP unbound to any metal ion i.e., apo-PrP. We investigated the effect of recombinant mouse PrP (residues 23-231) refolded with nickel, manganese, copper, and a variant devoid of any metal ions, on tPA-catalyzed Plg activation. Using mutant PrP (H95A, H110A), we also investigated whether histidine residues outside the octarepeat region in PrP, which is known to bind tPA and Plg, are also involved in their binding. We demonstrated that apo-PrP is most effective at stimulating Plg. PrP refolded with nickle or manganese behave similar to apo-PrP, and PrP refolded with copper is least effective. The mutant form of PrP did not stimulate Plg activation to the same degree as apo-PrP indicating that the histidine residues outside the octarepeat region are also involved in binding to tPA and Plg. Similarly, the fibrillar form of PrP was ineffective at stimulating Plg activation. Our data suggest that upon loss of copper specifically, a structural rearrangement of PrP occurs that exposes binding sites to Plg and tPA, enhancing the stimulation of Plg activation.
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Shiraishi N, Hirano Y. Combination of Copper Ions and Nucleotide Generates Aggregates from Prion Protein Fragments in the N-Terminal Domain. Protein Pept Lett 2021; 27:782-792. [PMID: 32096738 DOI: 10.2174/0929866527666200225124829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been previously found that PrP23-98, which contains four highly conserved octarepeats (residues 60-91) and one partial repeat (residues 92-96), polymerizes into amyloid-like and proteinase K-resistant spherical aggregates in the presence of NADPH plus copper ions. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine the requirements for the formation of these aggregates. METHODS In this study, we performed an aggregation experiment using N-acetylated and Camidated PrP fragments of the N-terminal domain, Octa1, Octa2, Octa3, Octa4, PrP84-114, and PrP76-114, in the presence of NADPH with copper ions, and focused on the effect of the number of copper-binding sites on aggregation. RESULTS Among these PrP fragments, Octa4, containing four copper-binding sites, was particularly effective in forming aggregates. We also tested the effect of other pyridine nucleotides and adenine nucleotides on the aggregation of Octa4. ATP was equally effective, but NADH, NADP, ADP, and AMP had no effect. CONCLUSION The phosphate group on the adenine-linked ribose moiety of adenine nucleotides and pyridine nucleotides is presumed to be essential for the observed effect on aggregation. Efficient aggregation requires the presence of the four octarepeats. These insights may be helpful in the eventual development of therapeutic agents against prion-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyuki Shiraishi
- Department of Nutrition, Tokai Gakuen University, 2-901 Nakahira, Nagoya 468-8514, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Hirano
- Department of Nutrition, Tokai Gakuen University, 2-901 Nakahira, Nagoya 468-8514, Japan
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Tange H, Ishibashi D, Nakagaki T, Taguchi Y, Kamatari YO, Ozawa H, Nishida N. Liquid-liquid phase separation of full-length prion protein initiates conformational conversion in vitro. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100367. [PMID: 33545172 PMCID: PMC8289115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by the accumulation of amyloid fibrils. The causative agent is an infectious amyloid that comprises solely misfolded prion protein (PrPSc). Prions can convert normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) to protease K-resistance prion protein fragment (PrP-res) in vitro; however, the intermediate steps involved in this spontaneous conversion still remain unknown. We investigated whether recombinant prion protein (rPrP) can directly convert into PrP-res via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in the absence of PrPSc. We found that rPrP underwent LLPS at the interface of the aqueous two-phase system of polyethylene glycol and dextran, whereas single-phase conditions were not inducible. Fluorescence recovery assay after photobleaching revealed that the liquid-solid phase transition occurred within a short time. The aged rPrP-gel acquired a proteinase-resistant amyloid accompanied by β-sheet conversion, as confirmed by Western blotting, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Congo red staining. The reactions required both the N-terminal region of rPrP (amino acids 23-89) and kosmotropic salts, suggesting that the kosmotropic anions may interact with the N-terminal region of rPrP to promote LLPS. Thus, structural conversion via LLPS and liquid-solid phase transition could be the intermediate steps in the conversion of prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroya Tange
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
| | - Daisuke Ishibashi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takehiro Nakagaki
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Taguchi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | | | - Hiroki Ozawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Nishida
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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Monette A, Mouland AJ. Zinc and Copper Ions Differentially Regulate Prion-Like Phase Separation Dynamics of Pan-Virus Nucleocapsid Biomolecular Condensates. Viruses 2020; 12:E1179. [PMID: 33081049 PMCID: PMC7589941 DOI: 10.3390/v12101179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a rapidly growing research focus due to numerous demonstrations that many cellular proteins phase-separate to form biomolecular condensates (BMCs) that nucleate membraneless organelles (MLOs). A growing repertoire of mechanisms supporting BMC formation, composition, dynamics, and functions are becoming elucidated. BMCs are now appreciated as required for several steps of gene regulation, while their deregulation promotes pathological aggregates, such as stress granules (SGs) and insoluble irreversible plaques that are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. Treatment of BMC-related diseases will greatly benefit from identification of therapeutics preventing pathological aggregates while sparing BMCs required for cellular functions. Numerous viruses that block SG assembly also utilize or engineer BMCs for their replication. While BMC formation first depends on prion-like disordered protein domains (PrLDs), metal ion-controlled RNA-binding domains (RBDs) also orchestrate their formation. Virus replication and viral genomic RNA (vRNA) packaging dynamics involving nucleocapsid (NC) proteins and their orthologs rely on Zinc (Zn) availability, while virus morphology and infectivity are negatively influenced by excess Copper (Cu). While virus infections modify physiological metal homeostasis towards an increased copper to zinc ratio (Cu/Zn), how and why they do this remains elusive. Following our recent finding that pan-retroviruses employ Zn for NC-mediated LLPS for virus assembly, we present a pan-virus bioinformatics and literature meta-analysis study identifying metal-based mechanisms linking virus-induced BMCs to neurodegenerative disease processes. We discover that conserved degree and placement of PrLDs juxtaposing metal-regulated RBDs are associated with disease-causing prion-like proteins and are common features of viral proteins responsible for virus capsid assembly and structure. Virus infections both modulate gene expression of metalloproteins and interfere with metal homeostasis, representing an additional virus strategy impeding physiological and cellular antiviral responses. Our analyses reveal that metal-coordinated virus NC protein PrLDs initiate LLPS that nucleate pan-virus assembly and contribute to their persistence as cell-free infectious aerosol droplets. Virus aerosol droplets and insoluble neurological disease aggregates should be eliminated by physiological or environmental metals that outcompete PrLD-bound metals. While environmental metals can control virus spreading via aerosol droplets, therapeutic interference with metals or metalloproteins represent additional attractive avenues against pan-virus infection and virus-exacerbated neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Monette
- Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Andrew J. Mouland
- Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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Alsiary RA, Alghrably M, Saoudi A, Al-Ghamdi S, Jaremko L, Jaremko M, Emwas AH. Using NMR spectroscopy to investigate the role played by copper in prion diseases. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:2389-2406. [PMID: 32328835 PMCID: PMC7419355 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04321-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of rare neurodegenerative disorders that develop as a result of the conformational conversion of normal prion protein (PrPC) to the disease-associated isoform (PrPSc). The mechanism that actually causes disease remains unclear. However, the mechanism underlying the conformational transformation of prion protein is partially understood-in particular, there is strong evidence that copper ions play a significant functional role in prion proteins and in their conformational conversion. Various models of the interaction of copper ions with prion proteins have been proposed for the Cu (II)-binding, cell-surface glycoprotein known as prion protein (PrP). Changes in the concentration of copper ions in the brain have been associated with prion diseases and there is strong evidence that copper plays a significant functional role in the conformational conversion of PrP. Nevertheless, because copper ions have been shown to have both a positive and negative effect on prion disease onset, the role played by Cu (II) ions in these diseases remains a topic of debate. Because of the unique properties of paramagnetic Cu (II) ions in the magnetic field, their interactions with PrP can be tracked even at single atom resolution using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Various NMR approaches have been utilized to study the kinetic, thermodynamic, and structural properties of Cu (II)-PrP interactions. Here, we highlight the different models of copper interactions with PrP with particular focus on studies that use NMR spectroscopy to investigate the role played by copper ions in prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawiah A. Alsiary
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia/King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mawadda Alghrably
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelhamid Saoudi
- Oncology, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia/King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suliman Al-Ghamdi
- Oncology, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia/King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lukasz Jaremko
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mariusz Jaremko
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Hamid Emwas
- Imaging and Characterization Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Gao Z, Shi J, Cai L, Luo M, Wong BS, Dong X, Sy MS, Li C. Prion dimer is heterogenous and is modulated by multiple negative and positive motifs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 509:570-576. [PMID: 30600179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.12.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of the normal prion protein (PrP) into a scrapie prion (PrPSc) is incompletely understood. Theoretically, the smallest PrP aggregate is a dimer. Human PrP contains two cysteines at positions 179 (C179) and 214 (C214) enabling disulfide bonding. Here, we report that our recombinant human PrP (r-hPrP) preparations contain 0.2-0.8% dimer, which is linked by either one or two disulfide bonds, connected by C179-C179, C214-C214, or C179-C214. Furthermore, dimerization is regulated by multiple motifs. While residues 36-42 inhibit, residues 90-125, and 195-212 promote dimerization. Mutating individual residue between 36 and 42 enhances dimerization whereas mutating the positively charged residues within 95-115, or the negatively charged residues within 195-212 prevent dimerization. Although deletion of the entire octapeptide-repeat (5OR) region prevents dimerization, mutating the histidines within the 5OR enhances dimerization. In addition, we found that two out of three brain lysates from patients with inherited prion disease had more PrP dimers than controls. Thus, PrP dimerization may contribute to prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Gao
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China; Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 78 Heng Zhi Gang Road, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Jing Shi
- Xiangyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 172 Tan Xi Road, Xiangyang, Hubei, China
| | - Lili Cai
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Minhua Luo
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Boon-Seng Wong
- Health and Social Sciences Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
| | - Xiaoping Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chang-Bai Rd 155, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Man-Sun Sy
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, USA
| | - Chaoyang Li
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China; Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 78 Heng Zhi Gang Road, Guangzhou, 510095, China.
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Sadakane Y, Kawahara M. Implications of Metal Binding and Asparagine Deamidation for Amyloid Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19082449. [PMID: 30126231 PMCID: PMC6121660 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that amyloid formation, i.e., self-assembly of proteins and the resulting conformational changes, is linked with the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, prion diseases, and Lewy body diseases. Among the factors that accelerate or inhibit oligomerization, we focus here on two non-genetic and common characteristics of many amyloidogenic proteins: metal binding and asparagine deamidation. Both reflect the aging process and occur in most amyloidogenic proteins. All of the amyloidogenic proteins, such as Alzheimer’s β-amyloid protein, prion protein, and α-synuclein, are metal-binding proteins and are involved in the regulation of metal homeostasis. It is widely accepted that these proteins are susceptible to non-enzymatic posttranslational modifications, and many asparagine residues of these proteins are deamidated. Moreover, these two factors can combine because asparagine residues can bind metals. We review the current understanding of these two common properties and their implications in the pathogenesis of these neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Sadakane
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Japan.
| | - Masahiro Kawahara
- Department of Bio-Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Musashino University, 1-1-20 Shinmachi, Nishitokyo, Tokyo 202-8585, Japan.
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Lu B, Zhao L, Qin K. Copper induces structural changes in N-terminus of human prion protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 499:470-474. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.03.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hecel A, Draghi S, Valensin D, Kozlowski H. The effect of a membrane-mimicking environment on the interactions of Cu 2+ with an amyloidogenic fragment of chicken prion protein. Dalton Trans 2018; 46:7758-7769. [PMID: 28589973 DOI: 10.1039/c7dt01069a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prion proteins (PrP) from different species have the ability to tightly bind Cu2+ ions. Copper coordination sites are located in the disordered and flexible N-terminal region which contains several His anchoring sites. Among them, two His residues are found in the so called amyloidogenic PrP region which is believed to play a key role in the process leading to oligomer and fibril formation. Both chicken and human amyloidogenic regions have a hydrophobic C-terminal region rich in Ala and Val amino acids. Recent findings revealed that this domain undergoes random coil to α-helix structuring upon interaction with membrane models. This interaction might strongly impact metal binding abilities either in terms of donor sets or affinity. In this study we investigated Cu2+ interaction with an amyloidogenic fragment, chPrP105-140, derived from chicken prion protein (chPrP), in different solution environments. The behavior of the peptide and its metal complexes was analyzed in water and in the presence of negative and positive charged membrane mimicking environments formed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DTAC) micelles. The metal coordination sphere, the metal binding affinity and stoichiometry were evaluated by combining spectroscopic and potentiometric methods. Finally we compare copper(ii) interactions with human and chicken amyloidogenic fragments. Our results indicate that the chicken amyloidogenic fragment is a stronger copper ligand than the human amyloidogenic fragment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Hecel
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, F. Joliot-Curie 14., 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Sara Draghi
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Daniela Valensin
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via A. Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Henryk Kozlowski
- Public Higher Medical Professional School in Opole, Katowicka 68, 45060 Opole, Poland
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Toni M, Massimino ML, De Mario A, Angiulli E, Spisni E. Metal Dyshomeostasis and Their Pathological Role in Prion and Prion-Like Diseases: The Basis for a Nutritional Approach. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:3. [PMID: 28154522 PMCID: PMC5243831 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal ions are key elements in organisms' life acting like cofactors of many enzymes but they can also be potentially dangerous for the cell participating in redox reactions that lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Any factor inducing or limiting a metal dyshomeostasis, ROS production and cell injury may contribute to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases or play a neuroprotective action. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting the central nervous system (CNS) of human and other mammalian species. The causative agent of TSEs is believed to be the scrapie prion protein PrPSc, the β sheet-rich pathogenic isoform produced by the conformational conversion of the α-helix-rich physiological isoform PrPC. The peculiarity of PrPSc is its ability to self-propagate in exponential fashion in cells and its tendency to precipitate in insoluble and protease-resistance amyloid aggregates leading to neuronal cell death. The expression “prion-like diseases” refers to a group of neurodegenerative diseases that share some neuropathological features with prion diseases such as the involvement of proteins (α-synuclein, amyloid β, and tau) able to precipitate producing amyloid deposits following conformational change. High social impact diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's belong to prion-like diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests that the exposure to environmental metals is a risk factor for the development of prion and prion-like diseases and that metal ions can directly bind to prion and prion-like proteins affecting the amount of amyloid aggregates. The diet, source of metal ions but also of natural antioxidant and chelating agents such as polyphenols, is an aspect to take into account in addressing the issue of neurodegeneration. Epidemiological data suggest that the Mediterranean diet, based on the abundant consumption of fresh vegetables and on low intake of meat, could play a preventive or delaying role in prion and prion-like neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, metal role in the onset of prion and prion-like diseases is dealt with from a nutritional, cellular, and molecular point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Toni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University Rome, Italy
| | - Maria L Massimino
- National Research Council (CNR), Neuroscience Institute c/o Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Agnese De Mario
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Angiulli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Spisni
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna Bologna, Italy
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Wu YR, Zhou ZR, Zhao M, Lin B, Zhong M, Hu Z. Molecular characterization of the thermostability and carbohydrate-binding module from a newly identified GH118 family agarase, AgaXa. Process Biochem 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2016.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Yen CF, Harischandra DS, Kanthasamy A, Sivasankar S. Copper-induced structural conversion templates prion protein oligomerization and neurotoxicity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2016; 2:e1600014. [PMID: 27419232 PMCID: PMC4942324 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Prion protein (PrP) misfolding and oligomerization are key pathogenic events in prion disease. Copper exposure has been linked to prion pathogenesis; however, its mechanistic basis is unknown. We resolve, with single-molecule precision, the molecular mechanism of Cu(2+)-induced misfolding of PrP under physiological conditions. We also demonstrate that misfolded PrPs serve as seeds for templated formation of aggregates, which mediate inflammation and degeneration of neuronal tissue. Using a single-molecule fluorescence assay, we demonstrate that Cu(2+) induces PrP monomers to misfold before oligomer assembly; the disordered amino-terminal region mediates this structural change. Single-molecule force spectroscopy measurements show that the misfolded monomers have a 900-fold higher binding affinity compared to the native isoform, which promotes their oligomerization. Real-time quaking-induced conversion demonstrates that misfolded PrPs serve as seeds that template amyloid formation. Finally, organotypic slice cultures show that misfolded PrPs mediate inflammation and degeneration of neuronal tissue. Our study establishes a direct link, at the molecular level, between copper exposure and PrP neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Fu Yen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Dilshan S. Harischandra
- Iowa Center for Advanced Neurotoxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Anumantha Kanthasamy
- Iowa Center for Advanced Neurotoxicology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Sanjeevi Sivasankar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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Copper and Zinc Interactions with Cellular Prion Proteins Change Solubility of Full-Length Glycosylated Isoforms and Induce the Occurrence of Heterogeneous Phenotypes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153931. [PMID: 27093554 PMCID: PMC4836684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized biochemically by protein aggregation of infectious prion isoforms (PrPSc), which result from the conformational conversion of physiological prion proteins (PrPC). PrPC are variable post-translationally modified glycoproteins, which exist as full length and as aminoterminally truncated glycosylated proteins and which exhibit differential detergent solubility. This implicates the presence of heterogeneous phenotypes, which overlap as protein complexes at the same molecular masses. Although the biological function of PrPC is still enigmatic, evidence reveals that PrPC exhibits metal-binding properties, which result in structural changes and decreased solubility. In this study, we analyzed the yield of PrPC metal binding affiliated with low solubility and changes in protein banding patterns. By implementing a high-speed centrifugation step, the interaction of zinc ions with PrPC was shown to generate large quantities of proteins with low solubility, consisting mainly of full-length glycosylated PrPC; whereas unglycosylated PrPC remained in the supernatants as well as truncated glycosylated proteins which lack of octarepeat sequence necessary for metal binding. This effect was considerably lower when PrPC interacted with copper ions; the presence of other metals tested exhibited no effect under these conditions. The binding of zinc and copper to PrPC demonstrated differentially soluble protein yields within distinct PrPC subtypes. PrPC–Zn2+-interaction may provide a means to differentiate glycosylated and unglycosylated subtypes and offers detailed analysis of metal-bound and metal-free protein conversion assays.
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Lin K, Yu Z, Yu Y, Liao X, Huang P, Guo C, Lin D. Distinct effects of Cu2+-binding on oligomerization of human and rabbit prion proteins. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2015; 47:842-50. [PMID: 26350098 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmv081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) is a kind of cell-surface Cu(2+)-binding glycoprotein. The oligomerization of PrP(C) is highly related to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Cu(2+) plays a vital role in the oligomerization of PrP(C), and participates in the pathogenic process of TSE diseases. It is expected that Cu(2+)-binding has different effects on the oligomerization of TSE-sensitive human PrP(C) (HuPrP(C)) and TSE-resistant rabbit PrP(C) (RaPrP(C)). However, the details of the distinct effects remain unclear. In the present study, we measured the interactions of Cu(2+) with HuPrP(C) (91-230) and RaPrP(C) (91-228) by isothermal titration calorimetry, and compared the effects of Cu(2+)-binding on the oligomerization of both PrPs. The measured dissociation constants (Kd) of Cu(2+) were 11.1 ± 2.1 μM for HuPrP(C) and 21.1 ± 3.1 μM for RaPrP(C). Cu(2+)-binding promoted the oligomerization of HuPrP(C) more significantly than that of RaPrP(C). The far-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectroscopy experiments showed that Cu(2+)-binding induced more significant secondary structure change and increased more β-sheet content for HuPrP(C) compared with RaPrP(C). Moreover, the urea-induced unfolding transition experiments indicated that Cu(2+)-binding decreased the conformational stability of HuPrP(C) more distinctly than that of RaPrP(C). These results suggest that RaPrP(C) possesses a low susceptibility to Cu(2+), potentially weakening the risk of Cu(2+)-induced TSE diseases. Our work sheds light on the Cu(2+)-promoted oligomerization of PrP(C), and may be helpful for further understanding the TSE-resistance of rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejiang Lin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 21009, China
| | - Ziyao Yu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 21009, China
| | - Yuanhui Yu
- High-field NMR Research Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xinli Liao
- High-field NMR Research Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Pei Huang
- High-field NMR Research Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chenyun Guo
- High-field NMR Research Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Donghai Lin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 21009, China High-field NMR Research Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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17
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Pan K, Yi CW, Chen J, Liang Y. Zinc significantly changes the aggregation pathway and the conformation of aggregates of human prion protein. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2015; 1854:907-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2015.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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18
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Lau A, McDonald A, Daude N, Mays CE, Walter ED, Aglietti R, Mercer RCC, Wohlgemuth S, van der Merwe J, Yang J, Gapeshina H, Kim C, Grams J, Shi B, Wille H, Balachandran A, Schmitt-Ulms G, Safar JG, Millhauser GL, Westaway D. Octarepeat region flexibility impacts prion function, endoproteolysis and disease manifestation. EMBO Mol Med 2015; 7:339-56. [PMID: 25661904 PMCID: PMC4364950 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201404588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Revised: 12/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) comprises a natively unstructured N-terminal domain, including a metal-binding octarepeat region (OR) and a linker, followed by a C-terminal domain that misfolds to form PrP(S) (c) in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. PrP(C) β-endoproteolysis to the C2 fragment allows PrP(S) (c) formation, while α-endoproteolysis blocks production. To examine the OR, we used structure-directed design to make novel alleles, 'S1' and 'S3', locking this region in extended or compact conformations, respectively. S1 and S3 PrP resembled WT PrP in supporting peripheral nerve myelination. Prion-infected S1 and S3 transgenic mice both accumulated similar low levels of PrP(S) (c) and infectious prion particles, but differed in their clinical presentation. Unexpectedly, S3 PrP overproduced C2 fragment in the brain by a mechanism distinct from metal-catalysed hydrolysis reported previously. OR flexibility is concluded to impact diverse biological endpoints; it is a salient variable in infectious disease paradigms and modulates how the levels of PrP(S) (c) and infectivity can either uncouple or engage to drive the onset of clinical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Lau
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alex McDonald
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nathalie Daude
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Charles E Mays
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Eric D Walter
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Robin Aglietti
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Robert C C Mercer
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Serene Wohlgemuth
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jacques van der Merwe
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jing Yang
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Hristina Gapeshina
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Chae Kim
- National Prion Disease Surveillance Center, Departments of Pathology and Neurology, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer Grams
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Beipei Shi
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Holger Wille
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jiri G Safar
- National Prion Disease Surveillance Center, Departments of Pathology and Neurology, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Glenn L Millhauser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Di Natale G, Turi I, Pappalardo G, Sóvágó I, Rizzarelli E. Cross-Talk Between the Octarepeat Domain and the Fifth Binding Site of Prion Protein Driven by the Interaction of Copper(II) with the N-terminus. Chemistry 2015; 21:4071-84. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201405502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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20
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Black SAG, Stys PK, Zamponi GW, Tsutsui S. Cellular prion protein and NMDA receptor modulation: protecting against excitotoxicity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2014; 2:45. [PMID: 25364752 PMCID: PMC4207032 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2014.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is well established that misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the β-sheet-rich, aggregated scrapie conformation (PrPSc) causes a variety of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), the physiological roles of PrPC are still incompletely understood. There is accumulating evidence describing the roles of PrPC in neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Recently, we identified a functional regulation of NMDA receptors by PrPC that involves formation of a physical protein complex between these proteins. Excessive NMDA receptor activity during conditions such as ischemia mediates enhanced Ca2+ entry into cells and contributes to excitotoxic neuronal death. In addition, NMDA receptors and/or PrPC play critical roles in neuroinflammation and glial cell toxicity. Inhibition of NMDA receptor activity protects against PrPSc-induced neuronal death. Moreover, in mice lacking PrPC, infarct size is increased after focal cerebral ischemia, and absence of PrPC increases susceptibility of neurons to NMDA receptor-dependent death. Recently, PrPC was found to be a receptor for oligomeric beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptides, suggesting a role for PrPC in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our recent findings suggest that Aβ peptides enhance NMDA receptor current by perturbing the normal copper- and PrPC-dependent regulation of these receptors. Here, we review evidence highlighting a role for PrPC in preventing NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity and inflammation. There is a need for more detailed molecular characterization of PrPC-mediated regulation of NMDA receptors, such as determining which NMDA receptor subunits mediate pathogenic effects upon loss of PrPC-mediated regulation and identifying PrPC binding site(s) on the receptor. This knowledge will allow development of novel therapeutic interventions for not only TSEs, but also for AD and other neurodegenerative disorders involving dysfunction of PrPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie A G Black
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada ; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Peter K Stys
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gerald W Zamponi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada ; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Shigeki Tsutsui
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada ; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary Calgary, AB, Canada
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Kuczius T, Kelsch R. Effects of metal binding on solubility and resistance of physiological prions depend on tissues and glycotypes. J Cell Biochem 2014; 114:2690-8. [PMID: 23794222 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.24616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases entail the conversion of a normal host-encoded prion protein (PrP(C)) into an infectious isoform (PrP(Sc)). Various PrP(C) types differing in banding profiles and detergent solubility are present in different tissues, but only few PrP(Sc) types have been generated although PrP(C) acts as substrate. We hypothesize that distinct PrP(C) subtypes may be converted more efficiently to PrP(Sc) than others. One prerequisite for the analysis is the identification of the PrP(C) subtypes present in the protein complexes. Metal binding to PrP(C) is one of the most prominent features of the protein which induces increased proteolysis resistance and structural changes which might play an important role in the conversion process. Here we analyzed the metal-induced structural PrP(C) transformation of two different Triton X-100 soluble PrP(C) types derived from human platelets and brains by changes in protein solubility. We found that zinc and copper rendered approximately half of total PrP(C) and mainly un- and low-glycosylated PrP(C) to the Triton insoluble fraction. Our results indicate the presence of at least two distinct PrP(C) subtypes by metal interactions. The differentiation of high and low soluble metal bound PrP(C) offers precious information about PrP(C) protein composition and provides approaches for analyzing the transformation efficiency to PrP(Sc).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Kuczius
- Institute for Hygiene, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität and University Hospital Münster, Robert Koch-Strasse 41, 48149, Münster, Germany
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22
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Brazier MW, Wedd AG, Collins SJ. Antioxidant and Metal Chelation-Based Therapies in the Treatment of Prion Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2014; 3:288-308. [PMID: 26784872 PMCID: PMC4665489 DOI: 10.3390/antiox3020288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative disorders involve the accumulation of multimeric assemblies and amyloid derived from misfolded conformers of constitutively expressed proteins. In addition, the brains of patients and experimental animals afflicted with prion disease display evidence of heightened oxidative stress and damage, as well as disturbances to transition metal homeostasis. Utilising a variety of disease model paradigms, many laboratories have demonstrated that copper can act as a cofactor in the antioxidant activity displayed by the prion protein while manganese has been implicated in the generation and stabilisation of disease-associated conformers. This and other evidence has led several groups to test dietary and chelation therapy-based regimens to manipulate brain metal concentrations in attempts to influence the progression of prion disease in experimental mice. Results have been inconsistent. This review examines published data on transition metal dyshomeostasis, free radical generation and subsequent oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of prion disease. It also comments on the efficacy of trialed therapeutics chosen to combat such deleterious changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus W Brazier
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Anthony G Wedd
- The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
- School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Steven J Collins
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
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Biophysical and morphological studies on the dual interaction of non-octarepeat prion protein peptides with copper and nucleic acids. J Biol Inorg Chem 2014; 19:839-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s00775-014-1115-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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24
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Mot AI, Wedd AG, Sinclair L, Brown DR, Collins SJ, Brazier MW. Metal attenuating therapies in neurodegenerative disease. Expert Rev Neurother 2014; 11:1717-45. [DOI: 10.1586/ern.11.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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25
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Imamura M, Kato N, Okada H, Yoshioka M, Iwamaru Y, Shimizu Y, Mohri S, Yokoyama T, Murayama Y. Insect cell-derived cofactors become fully functional after proteinase K and heat treatment for high-fidelity amplification of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored recombinant scrapie and BSE prion proteins. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82538. [PMID: 24367521 PMCID: PMC3867355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The central event in prion infection is the conformational conversion of host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the pathogenic isoform (PrP(Sc)). Diverse mammalian species possess the cofactors required for in vitro replication of PrP(Sc) by protein-misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), but lower organisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, and insects, reportedly lack the essential cofactors. Various cellular components, such as RNA, lipids, and other identified cofactor molecules, are commonly distributed in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, but the reasons for the absence of cofactor activity in lower organisms remain to be elucidated. Previously, we reported that brain-derived factors were necessary for the in vitro replication of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored baculovirus-derived recombinant PrP (Bac-PrP). Here, we demonstrate that following protease digestion and heat treatment, insect cell lysates had the functional cofactor activity required for Bac-PrP replication by PMCA. Mammalian PrP(Sc) seeds and Bac-PrP(Sc) generated by PMCA using Bac-PrP and insect cell-derived cofactors showed similar pathogenicity and produced very similar lesions in the brains of inoculated mice. These results suggested that the essential cofactors required for the high-fidelity replication of mammalian PrP(Sc) were present in the insect cells but that the cofactor activity was masked or inhibited in the native state. We suggest that not only RNA, but also DNA, are the key components of PMCA, although other cellular factors were necessary for the expression of the cofactor activity of nucleic acids. PMCA using only insect cell-derived substances (iPMCA) was highly useful for the ultrasensitive detection of PrP(Sc) of some prion strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morikazu Imamura
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Nobuko Kato
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Okada
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Miyako Yoshioka
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Research Area of Pathology and Pathophysiology, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Iwamaru
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Shimizu
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Shirou Mohri
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takashi Yokoyama
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuichi Murayama
- Influenza • Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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26
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Zhou Z, Xiao G. Conformational conversion of prion protein in prion diseases. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2013; 45:465-76. [PMID: 23580591 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmt027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of infectious fatal neurodegenerative diseases. The conformational conversion of a cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into an abnormal misfolded isoform (PrP(Sc)) is the key event in prion diseases pathology. Under normal conditions, the high-energy barrier separates PrP(C) from PrP(Sc) isoform. However, pathogenic mutations, modifications as well as some cofactors, such as glycosaminoglycans, nucleic acids, and lipids, could modulate the conformational conversion process. Understanding the mechanism of conformational conversion of prion protein is essential for the biomedical research and the treatment of prion diseases. Particularly, the characterization of cofactors interacting with prion protein might provide new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
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27
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Abstract
The infectious agent of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, has been the center of intense debate for decades. Years of studies have provided overwhelming evidence to support the prion hypothesis that posits a protein conformal infectious agent is responsible for the transmissibility of the disease. The recent studies that generate prion infectivity with purified bacterially expressed recombinant prion protein not only provides convincing evidence supporting the core of the prion hypothesis, that a pathogenic conformer of host prion protein is able to seed the conversion of its normal counterpart to the likeness of itself resulting in the replication of the pathogenic conformer and occurrence of disease, they also indicate the importance of cofactors, particularly lipid or lipid-like molecules, in forming the protein conformation-based infectious agent. This article reviews the literature regarding the chemical nature of the infectious agent and the potential contribution from lipid molecules to prion infectivity, and discusses the important remaining questions in this research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Ohio State University, 1645 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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Kretzschmar H, Tatzelt J. Prion disease: a tale of folds and strains. Brain Pathol 2013; 23:321-32. [PMID: 23587138 PMCID: PMC8029118 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on prions, the infectious agents of devastating neurological diseases in humans and animals, has been in the forefront of developing the concept of protein aggregation diseases. Prion diseases are distinguished from other neurodegenerative diseases by three peculiarities. First, prion diseases, in addition to being sporadic or genetic like all other neurodegenerative diseases, are infectious diseases. Animal models were developed early on (a long time before the advent of transgenic technology), and this has made possible the discovery of the prion protein as the infectious agent. Second, human prion diseases have true equivalents in animals, such as scrapie, which has been the subject of experimental research for many years. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is a zoonosis caused by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions. Third, they show a wide variety of phenotypes in humans and animals, much wider than the variants of any other sporadic or genetic neurodegenerative disease. It has now become firmly established that particular PrP(Sc) isoforms are closely related to specific human prion strains. The variety of human prion diseases, still an enigma in its own right, is a focus of this article. Recently, a series of experiments has shown that the concept of aberrant protein folding and templating, first developed for prions, may apply to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. In the wake of these discoveries, the term prion has come to be used for Aβ, α-synuclein, tau and possibly others. The self-propagation of alternative conformations seems to be the common denominator of these "prions," which in future, in order to avoid confusion, may have to be specified either as "neurodegenerative prions" or "infectious prions."
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- NeurobiochemistryAdolf‐Butenandt‐InstituteLudwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichMunichGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MunichGermany
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Emwas AHM, Al-Talla ZA, Guo X, Al-Ghamdi S, Al-Masri HT. Utilizing NMR and EPR spectroscopy to probe the role of copper in prion diseases. MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN CHEMISTRY : MRC 2013; 51:255-268. [PMID: 23436479 DOI: 10.1002/mrc.3936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2012] [Revised: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/11/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Copper is an essential nutrient for the normal development of the brain and nervous system, although the hallmark of several neurological diseases is a change in copper concentrations in the brain and central nervous system. Prion protein (PrP) is a copper-binding, cell-surface glycoprotein that exists in two alternatively folded conformations: a normal isoform (PrP(C)) and a disease-associated isoform (PrP(Sc)). Prion diseases are a group of lethal neurodegenerative disorders that develop as a result of conformational conversion of PrP(C) into PrP(Sc). The pathogenic mechanism that triggers this conformational transformation with the subsequent development of prion diseases remains unclear. It has, however, been shown repeatedly that copper plays a significant functional role in the conformational conversion of prion proteins. In this review, we focus on current research that seeks to clarify the conformational changes associated with prion diseases and the role of copper in this mechanism, with emphasis on the latest applications of NMR and EPR spectroscopy to probe the interactions of copper with prion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul-Hamid M Emwas
- NMR Core Lab, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Ren K, Gao C, Zhang J, Wang K, Xu Y, Wang SB, Wang H, Tian C, Shi Q, Dong XP. Flotillin-1 mediates PrPc endocytosis in the cultured cells during Cu²⁺ stimulation through molecular interaction. Mol Neurobiol 2013; 48:631-46. [PMID: 23625312 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-013-8452-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Flotillins are membrane association proteins consisting of two homologous members, flotillin-1 (Flot-1) and flotillin-2 (Flot-2). They define a clathrin-independent endocytic pathway in mammal cells, which are also distinct from some other endocytosis mechanisms. The implicated cargoes of the flotillin-dependent pathway are mainly some GPI-anchored proteins, such as CD59 and Thy-1, which positionally colocalize with flotillins at the plasma membrane microdomains. To see whether flotillins are involved in the endocytosis of PrP(C), the potential molecular interaction between PrP(C) and flotillins in a neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH was analyzed. Co-immunoprecipitation assays did not reveal a detectable complex in the cell lysates of a normal feeding situation. After stimulation of Cu(2+), PrP(C) formed a clear complex with Flot-1, but not with Flot-2. Immunofluorescent assays illustrated that PrP(C) colocalized well with Flot-1, and the complexes of PrP(C)-Flot-1 shifted from the cell membrane to the cytoplasm along with the treatment of Cu(2+). Down-regulating the expression of Flot-1 in SK-N-SH cells by Flot-1-specific RNAi obviously abolished the Cu(2+)-stimulated endocytosis process of PrP(C). Moreover, we also found that in the cell line human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) without detectable PrP(C) expression, the distribution of cellular Flot-1 maintained almost unchanged during Cu(2+) treatment. Cu(2+)-induced PrP(C)-Flot-1 molecular interaction and endocytosis in HEK293 cells were obtained when expressing wild-type human PrP (PrP(PG5)), but not in the preparation expressing octarepeat-deleted PrP (PrP(PG0)). Our data here provide direct evidences for the molecular interaction and endocytosis of PrP(C) with Flot-1 in the presence of copper ions, and the octarepeat region of PrP(C) is critical for this process, which strongly indicates that the Flot-1-dependent endocytic pathway seems to mediate the endocytosis process of PrP(C) in the special situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ren
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chang-Bai Rd 155, Beijing, 102206, China
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Di Natale G, Ősz K, Kállay C, Pappalardo G, Sanna D, Impellizzeri G, Sóvágó I, Rizzarelli E. Affinity, speciation, and molecular features of copper(II) complexes with a prion tetraoctarepeat domain in aqueous solution: insights into old and new results. Chemistry 2013; 19:3751-61. [PMID: 23355367 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201202912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2012] [Revised: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of the copper(II) complexes formed with the tetraoctarepeat peptide at low and high metal-to-ligand ratios and in a large pH range, would provide a breakthrough in the interpretation of biological relevance of the different metal complexes of copper(II)-tetraoctarepeat system. In the present work, the potentiometric, UV/Vis, circular dichroism (CD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were carried out on copper(II) complexes with a PEG-ylated derivative of the tetraoctarepeats peptide sequence (Ac-PEG27 -(PHGGGWGQ)4 -NH2 ) and the peptide Ac-(PHGGGWGQ)2 -NH2 . Conjugation of tetraoctarepeat peptide sequence with polyethyleneglycol improved the solubility of the copper(II) complexes. The results enable a straightforward explanation of the conflicting results originated from the underestimation of all metal-ligand equilibria and the ensuing speciation. A complete and reliable speciation is therefore obtained with the released affinity and binding details of the main complexes species formed in aqueous solution. The results contribute to clarify the discrepancies of several studies in which the authors ascribe the redox activity of copper(II)-tetraoctarepeat system considering only the average effects of several coexisting species with very different stoichiometries and binding modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Di Natale
- CNR Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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32
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Metal ions and amyloid fiber formation in neurodegenerative diseases. Copper, zinc and iron in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and prion diseases. Coord Chem Rev 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 293] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Arena G, La Mendola D, Pappalardo G, Sóvágó I, Rizzarelli E. Interactions of Cu2+ with prion family peptide fragments: Considerations on affinity, speciation and coordination. Coord Chem Rev 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2012.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Disruption of copper homeostasis due to a mutation of Atp7a delays the onset of prion disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:13733-8. [PMID: 22869751 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1211499109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Copper influences the pathogenesis of prion disease, but whether it is beneficial or detrimental remains controversial. Copper homeostasis is also essential for normal physiology, as highlighted by the spectrum of diseases caused by disruption of the copper transporting enzymes ATP7A and ATP7B. Here, by using a forward genetics approach in mice, we describe the isolation of three alleles of Atp7a, each with different phenotypic consequences. The mildest of the three, Atp7a(brown), was insufficient to cause lethality in hemizygotes or mottling of the coat in heterozygotes, but did lead to coat hypopigmentation and reduced copper content in the brains of hemizygous males. When challenged with Rocky Mountain Laboratory scrapie, the onset of prion disease was delayed in Atp7a(brown) mice, and significantly less proteinase-resistant prion protein was found in the brains of moribund Atp7a(brown) mice compared with WT littermates. Our results establish that ATP7A-mediated copper homeostasis is important for the formation of pathogenic proteinase-resistant prion protein.
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Aβ inhibition of ionic conductance in mouse basal forebrain neurons is dependent upon the cellular prion protein PrPC. J Neurosci 2012; 31:16292-7. [PMID: 22072680 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4367-11.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Current therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) address a loss of cholinergic neurons, while accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid β (Aβ) peptide assemblies is thought central to molecular pathogenesis. Overlaps may exist between prionopathies and AD wherein Aβ oligomers bind to the cellular prion protein PrP(C) and inhibit synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus (Laurén et al., 2009). Here we applied oligomeric Aβ to neurons with different PrP (Prnp) gene dosage. Whole-cell recordings were obtained from dissociated neurons of the diagonal band of Broca (DBB), a cholinergic basal forebrain nucleus. In wild-type (wt) mice, Aβ₁₋₄₂ evoked a concentration-dependent reduction of whole-cell outward currents in a voltage range between -30 and +30 mV; reduction occurred through a combined modulation of a suite of potassium conductances including the delayed rectifier (I(K)), the transient outward (I(A)), and the iberiotoxin-sensitive (calcium-activated potassium, I(C)) currents. Inhibition was not seen with Aβ₄₂₋₁ peptide, while Aβ₁₋₄₂-induced responses were reduced by application of anti-PrP antibody, attenuated in cells from Prnp⁰/⁺ hemizygotes, and absent in Prnp⁰/⁰ homozygotes. Similarly, amyloidogenic amylin peptide depressed DBB whole-cell currents in DBB cells from wt mice, but not Prnp⁰/⁰ homozygotes. While prior studies give broad support for a neuroprotective function for PrP(C), our data define a latent pro-pathogenic role in the presence of amyloid assemblies.
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Thakur AK, Srivastava AK, Srinivas V, Chary KVR, Rao CM. Copper alters aggregation behavior of prion protein and induces novel interactions between its N- and C-terminal regions. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:38533-38545. [PMID: 21900252 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.265645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper is reported to promote and prevent aggregation of prion protein. Conformational and functional consequences of Cu(2+)-binding to prion protein (PrP) are not well understood largely because most of the Cu(2+)-binding studies have been performed on fragments and truncated variants of the prion protein. In this context, we set out to investigate the conformational consequences of Cu(2+)-binding to full-length prion protein (PrP) by isothermal calorimetry, NMR, and small angle x-ray scattering. In this study, we report altered aggregation behavior of full-length PrP upon binding to Cu(2+). At physiological temperature, Cu(2+) did not promote aggregation suggesting that Cu(2+) may not play a role in the aggregation of PrP at physiological temperature (37 °C). However, Cu(2+)-bound PrP aggregated at lower temperatures. This temperature-dependent process is reversible. Our results show two novel intra-protein interactions upon Cu(2+)-binding. The N-terminal region (residues 90-120 that contain the site His-96/His-111) becomes proximal to helix-1 (residues 144-147) and its nearby loop region (residues 139-143), which may be important in preventing amyloid fibril formation in the presence of Cu(2+). In addition, we observed another novel interaction between the N-terminal region comprising the octapeptide repeats (residues 60-91) and helix-2 (residues 174-185) of PrP. Small angle x-ray scattering studies of full-length PrP show significant compactness upon Cu(2+)-binding. Our results demonstrate novel long range inter-domain interactions of the N- and C-terminal regions of PrP upon Cu(2+)-binding, which might have physiological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhay Kumar Thakur
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500 007, India
| | - Atul Kumar Srivastava
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005, India
| | - Volety Srinivas
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500 007, India
| | - Kandala Venkata Ramana Chary
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005, India
| | - Chintalagiri Mohan Rao
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500 007, India.
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Copper(II)-Induced Secondary Structure Changes and Reduced Folding Stability of the Prion Protein. J Mol Biol 2011; 410:369-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2011.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Revised: 05/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Wisniewski T, Goñi F. Immunomodulation for prion and prion-related diseases. Expert Rev Vaccines 2011; 9:1441-52. [PMID: 21105779 DOI: 10.1586/erv.10.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a unique category of illness, affecting both animals and humans, where the underlying pathogenesis is related to a conformational change of a normal self protein called cellular prion protein to a pathological and infectious conformer known as scrapie prion protein (PrP(Sc)). Currently, all prion diseases lack effective treatment and are universally fatal. Past experiences with bovine spongiform encephalopathy and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease mainly in Europe, as well as the current epidemic of chronic wasting disease in North America, have highlighted the need to develop prophylactic and/or therapeutic approaches. In Alzheimer's disease that, like prion disease, is a conformational neurodegenerative disorder, both passive and active immunization has been shown to be highly effective in model animals at preventing disease and cognitive deficits, with emerging data from human trials suggesting that this approach is able to reduce amyloid-related pathology. However, any immunomodulatory approach aimed at a self-antigen has to finely balance an effective humoral immune response with potential autoimmune toxicity. The prion diseases most commonly acquired by infection typically have the alimentary tract as a portal of infectious agent entry. This makes mucosal immunization a potentially attractive method to produce a local immune response that partially or completely prevents prion entry across the gut barrier, while at the same time producing modulated systemic immunity that is unlikely to be associated with toxicity. Our results using an attenuated Salmonella vaccine strain expressing the prion protein showed that mucosal vaccination can protect against prion infection from a peripheral source, suggesting the feasibility of this approach. It is also possible to develop active and/or passive immunomodulatory approaches that more specifically target PrP(Sc) or target the shared pathological conformer found in numerous conformational disorders. Such approaches could have a significant impact on many of the common age-associated dementias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Psychiatry, Millhauser Laboratories, Room HN419, New York University School of Medicine, 560 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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39
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Rivillas-Acevedo L, Grande-Aztatzi R, Lomelí I, García JE, Barrios E, Teloxa S, Vela A, Quintanar L. Spectroscopic and Electronic Structure Studies of Copper(II) Binding to His111 in the Human Prion Protein Fragment 106−115: Evaluating the Role of Protons and Methionine Residues. Inorg Chem 2011; 50:1956-72. [DOI: 10.1021/ic102381j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Rivillas-Acevedo
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Rafael Grande-Aztatzi
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Italia Lomelí
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Javier E. García
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Erika Barrios
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Sarai Teloxa
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Alberto Vela
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
| | - Liliana Quintanar
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Cinvestav), 07360, D.F., Mexico
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40
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Jones M, Peden AH, Head MW, Ironside JW. The application of in vitro cell-free conversion systems to human prion diseases. Acta Neuropathol 2011; 121:135-43. [PMID: 20535485 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-010-0708-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Revised: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 05/30/2010] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A key event in the pathogenesis of prion diseases is the conversion of the normal cellular isoform of the prion protein into the disease-associated isoform, but the mechanisms operating in this critical event are not yet fully understood. A number of novel approaches have recently been developed to study factors influencing this process. One of these, the protein misfolding cyclical amplification (PMCA) technique, has been used to explore defined factors influencing the conversion of cellular prion protein in a cell-free model system. Although initially developed in animal models, this technique has been increasingly applied to human prion diseases. Recent studies have focused on the role of different isoforms of the disease-associated human prion protein and the effects of the naturally occurring polymorphism at codon 129 in the human prion protein gene on the conversion process, improving our understanding of the interaction between host and agent factors that influence the wide range of phenotypes in human prion diseases. This technique also allows a greatly enhanced sensitivity of detection of disease-associated prion protein in human tissues and fluids, which is potentially applicable to disease screening, particularly for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The PMCA technique can also be used to model human susceptibility to a range of prions of non-human origin, which is likely to prove of considerable future interest as more novel and potentially pathogenic prion diseases are identified in animal species that form part of the human food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jones
- Components and vCJD Research, National Science Laboratories, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh, EH 17 7QT, UK
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41
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Biasini E, Seegulam ME, Patti BN, Solforosi L, Medrano AZ, Christensen HM, Senatore A, Chiesa R, Williamson RA, Harris DA. Non-infectious aggregates of the prion protein react with several PrPSc-directed antibodies. J Neurochem 2010; 105:2190-204. [PMID: 18298665 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05306.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The key event in the pathogenesis of prion diseases is the conformational conversion of the normal prion protein (PrP) (PrP(C)) into an infectious, aggregated isoform (PrP(Sc)) that has a high content of beta-sheet. Historically, a great deal of effort has been devoted to developing antibodies that specifically recognize PrP(Sc) but not PrP(C), as such antibodies would have enormous diagnostic and experimental value. A mouse monoclonal IgM antibody (designated 15B3) and three PrP motif-grafted monoclonal antibodies (referred to as IgG 19-33, 89-112, and 136-158) have been previously reported to react specifically with infectious PrP(Sc) but not PrP(C). In this study, we extend the characterization of these four antibodies by testing their ability to immunoprecipitate and immunostain infectious and non-infectious aggregates of wild-type, mutant, and recombinant PrP. We find that 15B3 as well as the motif-grafted antibodies recognize multiple types of aggregated PrP, both infectious and non-infectious, including forms found in brain, in transfected cells, and induced in vitro from purified recombinant protein. These antibodies are exquisitely selective for aggregated PrP, and do not react with soluble PrP even when present in vast excess. Our results suggest that 15B3 and the motif-grafted antibodies recognize structural features common to both infectious and non-infectious aggregates of PrP. Our study extends the utility of these antibodies for diagnostic and experimental purposes, and it provides new insight into the structural changes that accompany PrP oligomerization and prion propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Biasini
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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Hodak M, Bernholc J. Insights into prion protein function from atomistic simulations. Prion 2010; 4:13-9. [PMID: 20118658 PMCID: PMC2850415 DOI: 10.4161/pri.4.1.10969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2009] [Accepted: 12/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Computer simulations are a powerful tool for studies of biological systems. They have often been used to study prion protein (PrP), a protein responsible for neurodegenerative diseases, which include "mad cow disease" in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in humans. An important aspect of the prion protein is its interaction with copper ion, which is thought to be relevant for PrP's yet undetermined function and also potentially play a role in prion diseases. for studies of copper attachment to the prion protein, computer simulations have often been used to complement experimental data and to obtain binding structures of Cu-PrP complexes. This paper summarizes the results of recent ab initio calculations of copper-prion protein interactions focusing on the recently discovered concentration-dependent binding modes in the octarepeat region of this protein. In addition to determining the binding structures, computer simulations were also used to make predictions about PrP's function and the role of copper in prion diseases. The results demonstrate the predictive power and applicability of ab initio simulations for studies of metal-biomolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Hodak
- Center for High Performance Simulation and Department of Physics; North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC USA
| | - Jerzy Bernholc
- Center for High Performance Simulation and Department of Physics; North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC USA
- Computer Science and Mathematics Division; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge, TN USA
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43
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Suhre MH, Hess S, Golser AV, Scheibel T. Influence of divalent copper, manganese and zinc ions on fibril nucleation and elongation of the amyloid-like yeast prion determinant Sup35p-NM. J Inorg Biochem 2009; 103:1711-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2009.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2009] [Revised: 09/22/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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44
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Prion metal interaction: Is prion pathogenesis a cause or a consequence of metal imbalance? Chem Biol Interact 2009; 181:282-91. [PMID: 19660443 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2009.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2008] [Revised: 07/22/2009] [Accepted: 07/27/2009] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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45
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Role of copper and manganese in prion disease progression. Brain Res 2009; 1292:155-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.07.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2009] [Revised: 07/15/2009] [Accepted: 07/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Young DS, Meersman F, Oxley D, Webster J, Gill AC, Bronstein I, Lowe CR, Dear DV. Effect of enzymatic deimination on the conformation of recombinant prion protein. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2009; 1794:1123-33. [PMID: 19341825 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2009.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2008] [Revised: 03/19/2009] [Accepted: 03/20/2009] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Deimination is the post-translational conversion of arginine residues to citrulline. It has been implicated as a causative factor in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis and more recently, as a marker of neurodegeneration. We have investigated the effect of the post-translational modification of arginine residues on the structure of recombinant ovine prion protein. Deiminated prion protein exhibited biophysical properties characteristic of the scrapie-associated conformer of prion protein viz. an increased beta-sheet secondary structure, congophilic structures indicative of amyloid and proteinase K resistance which could be templated onto normal unmodified prion protein. In the light of these findings, a potential role of post-translational modifications to prion protein in disease initiation or propagation is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan S Young
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK
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Abstract
The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are rapidly progressive and invariably fatal neurodegenerative diseases for which there are no proven efficacious treatments. Many approaches have been undertaken to find ways to prevent, halt, or reverse these prion diseases, with limited success to date. However, as both our understanding of pathogenesis and our ability to detect early disease increases, so do our potential therapeutic targets and our chances of finding effective drugs. There is increasing pressure to find effective decontaminants for blood supplies, as variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) has been shown to be transmissible by blood, and to find non-toxic preventative therapies, with ongoing cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Within the realm of chemotherapeutic approaches, much research has focussed on blocking the conversion of the normal form of prion protein (PrP(c)) to its abnormal counterpart (PrP(res)). Structurally, these chemotherapeutic agents are often polyanionic or polycyclic and may directly bind PrP(c) or PrP(res), or act by redistributing, sequestering, or down-regulating PrP(c), thus preventing its conversion. There are also some polycationic compounds which proport to enhance the clearance of PrP(res). Other targets include accessory molecules such as the laminin receptor precursor which influences conversion, or cell signalling molecules which may be required for pathogenesis. Of recent interest are the possible neuroprotective effects of some drugs. Importantly, there is evidence that combining compounds may provide synergistic responses. This review provides an update on current testing methods, therapeutic targets, and promising candidates for chemical-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie L Sim
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA.
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48
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Functional implications of multistage copper binding to the prion protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:11576-81. [PMID: 19561303 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0903807106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP) is responsible for a group of neurodegenerative diseases called the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The normal function of PrP has not yet been discovered, but indirect evidence suggests a linkage to its ability to bind copper. In this article, low-copper-concentration bindings of Cu(2+) to PrP are investigated by using a recently developed hybrid density functional theory (DFT)/DFT method. It is found that at the lowest copper concentrations, the binding site consists of 4 histidine residues coordinating the copper through epsilon imidazole nitrogens. At higher concentrations, 2 histidines are involved in the binding, one of them in the axial position. These results are in good agreement with existing experimental data. Comparison of free energies for all modes of coordination shows that when enough copper is available, the binding sites will spontaneously rearrange to accommodate more copper ions, despite the fact that binding energy per copper ion decreases with concentration. These findings support the hypothesis that PrP acts as a copper buffer in vivo, protecting other proteins from the attachment of copper ions. Using large-scale classical molecular dynamics, we also probe the structure of full-length copper-bound PrP, including its unfolded N-terminal domain. The results show that copper attachment leads to rearrangement of the structure of the Cu-bonded octarepeat region and to development of turns in areas separating copper-bound residues. These turns make the flexible N-terminal domain more rigid and thus more resistant to misfolding. The last result suggests that copper binding plays a beneficial role in the initial stages of prion diseases.
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Gralka E, Valensin D, Gajda K, Bacco D, Szyrwiel L, Remelli M, Valensin G, Kamasz W, Baranska-Rybak W, Kozłowski H. Copper(II) coordination outside the tandem repeat region of an unstructured domain of chicken prion protein. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2009; 5:497-510. [PMID: 19381364 DOI: 10.1039/b820635j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Combined potentiometric, calorimetric and spectroscopic methods were used to investigate the Cu(2+) binding ability and coordination behaviour of some peptide fragments related to the neurotoxic region of chicken Prion Protein. The systems studied were the following protein fragments: chPrP(106-114), chPrP(119-126), chPrP(108-127), chPrP(105-127) and chPrP(105-133).The complex formation always starts around pH 4 with the coordination of an imidazole nitrogen, followed by the deprotonation and binding of amide nitrogens from the peptidic backbone. At neutral pH, the {N(im), 3N(-)} binding mode is the preferred one. The amide nitrogens participating in the binding to the Cu(2+) ion derive from residues from the N-terminus side, with the formation of a six-membered chelate ring with the imidazolic side chain.Comparison of thermodynamic data for the two histydyl binding domains (around His-110 and His-124), clearly indicates that the closest to the hexarepeat domain (His-110) has the highest ability to bind Cu(2+) ions, although both of them have the same coordination mode. Conversely, in the case of the human neurotoxic peptide region, between the two binding sites, located at His-96 and His-111, the farthest from the tandem repeat region is the strongest one. Finally, thermodynamic data show that chicken peptide is a distinctly better ligand for coordination of copper ions with respect to the human fragment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Gralka
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Wroclaw, F. Joliot-Curie 14, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland
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Qin K, Zhao L, Ash RD, McDonough WF, Zhao RY. ATM-mediated Transcriptional Elevation of Prion in Response to Copper-induced Oxidative Stress. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:4582-93. [DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m808410200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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