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Nafe R, Arendt CT, Hattingen E. Human prion diseases and the prion protein - what is the current state of knowledge? Transl Neurosci 2023; 14:20220315. [PMID: 37854584 PMCID: PMC10579786 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2022-0315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases and the prion protein are only partially understood so far in many aspects. This explains the continued research on this topic, calling for an overview on the current state of knowledge. The main objective of the present review article is to provide a comprehensive up-to-date presentation of all major features of human prion diseases bridging the gap between basic research and clinical aspects. Starting with the prion protein, current insights concerning its physiological functions and the process of pathological conversion will be highlighted. Diagnostic, molecular, and clinical aspects of all human prion diseases will be discussed, including information concerning rare diseases like prion-associated amyloidoses and Huntington disease-like 1, as well as the question about a potential human threat due to the transmission of prions from prion diseases of other species such as chronic wasting disease. Finally, recent attempts to develop future therapeutic strategies will be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinhold Nafe
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinics of Johann Wolfgang-Goethe University, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christophe T. Arendt
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinics of Johann Wolfgang-Goethe University, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Elke Hattingen
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinics of Johann Wolfgang-Goethe University, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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2
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Sedov I, Khaibrakhmanova D. Molecular Mechanisms of Inhibition of Protein Amyloid Fibril Formation: Evidence and Perspectives Based on Kinetic Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113428. [PMID: 36362217 PMCID: PMC9657184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of fibril formation is considered a possible treatment strategy for amyloid-related diseases. Understanding the molecular nature of inhibitor action is crucial for the design of drug candidates. In the present review, we describe the common kinetic models of fibril formation and classify known inhibitors by the mechanism of their interactions with the aggregating protein and its oligomers. This mechanism determines the step or steps of the aggregation process that become inhibited and the observed changes in kinetics and equilibrium of fibril formation. The results of numerous studies indicate that possible approaches to antiamyloid inhibitor discovery include the search for the strong binders of protein monomers, cappers blocking the ends of the growing fibril, or the species absorbing on the surface of oligomers preventing nucleation. Strongly binding inhibitors stabilizing the native state can be promising for the structured proteins while designing the drug candidates targeting disordered proteins is challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Sedov
- Chemical Institute, Kazan Federal University, Kremlevskaya 18, 420008 Kazan, Russia
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-9600503916
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3
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Shafiq M, Da Vela S, Amin L, Younas N, Harris DA, Zerr I, Altmeppen HC, Svergun D, Glatzel M. The prion protein and its ligands: Insights into structure-function relationships. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2022; 1869:119240. [PMID: 35192891 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The prion protein is a multifunctional protein that exists in at least two different folding states. It is subject to diverse proteolytic processing steps that lead to prion protein fragments some of which are membrane-bound whereas others are soluble. A multitude of ligands bind to the prion protein and besides proteinaceous binding partners, interaction with metal ions and nucleic acids occurs. Although of great importance, information on structural and functional consequences of prion protein binding to its partners is limited. Here, we will reflect on the structure-function relationship of the prion protein and its binding partners considering the different folding states and prion protein fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg c/o German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Neelam Younas
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-str. 40, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hermann C Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg c/o German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.
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4
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Mohammadi B, Song F, Matamoros-Angles A, Shafiq M, Damme M, Puig B, Glatzel M, Altmeppen HC. Anchorless risk or released benefit? An updated view on the ADAM10-mediated shedding of the prion protein. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:215-234. [PMID: 35084572 PMCID: PMC10113312 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03582-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrP) is a broadly expressed glycoprotein linked with a multitude of (suggested) biological and pathological implications. Some of these roles seem to be due to constitutively generated proteolytic fragments of the protein. Among them is a soluble PrP form, which is released from the surface of neurons and other cell types by action of the metalloprotease ADAM10 in a process termed 'shedding'. The latter aspect is the focus of this review, which aims to provide a comprehensive overview on (i) the relevance of proteolytic processing in regulating cellular PrP functions, (ii) currently described involvement of shed PrP in neurodegenerative diseases (including prion diseases and Alzheimer's disease), (iii) shed PrP's expected roles in intercellular communication in many more (patho)physiological conditions (such as stroke, cancer or immune responses), (iv) and the need for improved research tools in respective (future) studies. Deeper mechanistic insight into roles played by PrP shedding and its resulting fragment may pave the way for improved diagnostics and future therapeutic approaches in diseases of the brain and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
- Working Group for Interdisciplinary Neurobiology and Immunology (INI Research), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Feizhi Song
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreu Matamoros-Angles
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Damme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Department of Neurology, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation (ERSI), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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5
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Kovač V, Čurin Šerbec V. Prion Protein: The Molecule of Many Forms and Faces. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031232. [PMID: 35163156 PMCID: PMC8835406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein most abundantly found in the outer membrane of neurons. Due to structural characteristics (a flexible tail and structured core), PrPC interacts with a wide range of partners. Although PrPC has been proposed to be involved in many physiological functions, only peripheral nerve myelination homeostasis has been confirmed as a bona fide function thus far. PrPC misfolding causes prion diseases and PrPC has been shown to mediate β-rich oligomer-induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as neuroprotection in ischemia. Upon proteolytic cleavage, PrPC is transformed into released and attached forms of PrP that can, depending on the contained structural characteristics of PrPC, display protective or toxic properties. In this review, we will outline prion protein and prion protein fragment properties as well as overview their involvement with interacting partners and signal pathways in myelination, neuroprotection and neurodegenerative diseases.
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6
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Linsenmeier L, Mohammadi B, Shafiq M, Frontzek K, Bär J, Shrivastava AN, Damme M, Song F, Schwarz A, Da Vela S, Massignan T, Jung S, Correia A, Schmitz M, Puig B, Hornemann S, Zerr I, Tatzelt J, Biasini E, Saftig P, Schweizer M, Svergun D, Amin L, Mazzola F, Varani L, Thapa S, Gilch S, Schätzl H, Harris DA, Triller A, Mikhaylova M, Aguzzi A, Altmeppen HC, Glatzel M. Ligands binding to the prion protein induce its proteolytic release with therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative proteinopathies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj1826. [PMID: 34818048 PMCID: PMC8612689 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrPC) is a central player in neurodegenerative diseases, such as prion diseases or Alzheimer’s disease. In contrast to disease-promoting cell surface PrPC, extracellular fragments act neuroprotective by blocking neurotoxic disease-associated protein conformers. Fittingly, PrPC release by the metalloprotease ADAM10 represents a protective mechanism. We used biochemical, cell biological, morphological, and structural methods to investigate mechanisms stimulating this proteolytic shedding. Shed PrP negatively correlates with prion conversion and is markedly redistributed in murine brain in the presence of prion deposits or amyloid plaques, indicating a sequestrating activity. PrP-directed ligands cause structural changes in PrPC and increased shedding in cells and organotypic brain slice cultures. As an exception, some PrP-directed antibodies targeting repetitive epitopes do not cause shedding but surface clustering, endocytosis, and degradation of PrPC. Both mechanisms may contribute to beneficial actions described for PrP-directed ligands and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies against currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Linsenmeier
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Bär
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amulya N. Shrivastava
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Markus Damme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Feizhi Song
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Schwarz
- Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tania Massignan
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Sebastian Jung
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Angela Correia
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmitz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Department of Neurology, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Paul Saftig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Federica Mazzola
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Simrika Thapa
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hermann Schätzl
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - David A. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antoine Triller
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Marina Mikhaylova
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hermann C. Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Willbold D, Strodel B, Schröder GF, Hoyer W, Heise H. Amyloid-type Protein Aggregation and Prion-like Properties of Amyloids. Chem Rev 2021; 121:8285-8307. [PMID: 34137605 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This review will focus on the process of amyloid-type protein aggregation. Amyloid fibrils are an important hallmark of protein misfolding diseases and therefore have been investigated for decades. Only recently, however, atomic or near-atomic resolution structures have been elucidated from various in vitro and ex vivo obtained fibrils. In parallel, the process of fibril formation has been studied in vitro under highly artificial but comparatively reproducible conditions. The review starts with a summary of what is known and speculated from artificial in vitro amyloid-type protein aggregation experiments. A partially hypothetic fibril selection model will be described that may be suitable to explain why amyloid fibrils look the way they do, in particular, why at least all so far reported high resolution cryo-electron microscopy obtained fibril structures are in register, parallel, cross-β-sheet fibrils that mostly consist of two protofilaments twisted around each other. An intrinsic feature of the model is the prion-like nature of all amyloid assemblies. Transferring the model from the in vitro point of view to the in vivo situation is not straightforward, highly hypothetic, and leaves many open questions that need to be addressed in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 141700 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Birgit Strodel
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gunnar F Schröder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Physics Department, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Henrike Heise
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry, IBI-7, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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8
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Diociaiuti M, Bonanni R, Cariati I, Frank C, D’Arcangelo G. Amyloid Prefibrillar Oligomers: The Surprising Commonalities in Their Structure and Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126435. [PMID: 34208561 PMCID: PMC8235680 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that a “common core” of pathologic pathways exists for the large family of amyloid-associated neurodegenerations, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type II diabetes and Creutzfeldt–Jacob’s Disease. Aggregates of the involved proteins, independently from their primary sequence, induced neuron membrane permeabilization able to trigger an abnormal Ca2+ influx leading to synaptotoxicity, resulting in reduced expression of synaptic proteins and impaired synaptic transmission. Emerging evidence is now focusing on low-molecular-weight prefibrillar oligomers (PFOs), which mimic bacterial pore-forming toxins that form well-ordered oligomeric membrane-spanning pores. At the same time, the neuron membrane composition and its chemical microenvironment seem to play a pivotal role. In fact, the brain of AD patients contains increased fractions of anionic lipids able to favor cationic influx. However, up to now the existence of a specific “common structure” of the toxic aggregate, and a “common mechanism” by which it induces neuronal damage, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission, is still an open hypothesis. In this review, we gathered information concerning this hypothesis, focusing on the proteins linked to several amyloid diseases. We noted commonalities in their structure and membrane activity, and their ability to induce Ca2+ influx, neurotoxicity, synaptotoxicity and impaired synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Diociaiuti
- Centro Nazionale Malattie Rare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Roberto Bonanni
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
| | - Ida Cariati
- PhD in Medical-Surgical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Frank
- UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Via di Sant’Alessandro 8, 00131 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giovanna D’Arcangelo
- Department of Systems Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (G.D.)
- Centre of Space Bio-Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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9
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Amin L, Harris DA. Aβ receptors specifically recognize molecular features displayed by fibril ends and neurotoxic oligomers. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3451. [PMID: 34103486 PMCID: PMC8187732 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23507-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Several cell-surface receptors for neurotoxic forms of amyloid-β (Aβ) have been described, but their molecular interactions with Aβ assemblies and their relative contributions to mediating Alzheimer's disease pathology have remained uncertain. Here, we used super-resolution microscopy to directly visualize Aβ-receptor interactions at the nanometer scale. We report that one documented Aβ receptor, PrPC, specifically inhibits the polymerization of Aβ fibrils by binding to the rapidly growing end of each fibril, thereby blocking polarized elongation at that end. PrPC binds neurotoxic oligomers and protofibrils in a similar fashion, suggesting that it may recognize a common, end-specific, structural motif on all of these assemblies. Finally, two other Aβ receptors, FcγRIIb and LilrB2, affect Aβ fibril growth in a manner similar to PrPC. Our results suggest that receptors may trap Aβ oligomers and protofibrils on the neuronal surface by binding to a common molecular determinant on these assemblies, thereby initiating a neurotoxic signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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10
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Structural details of amyloid β oligomers in complex with human prion protein as revealed by solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100499. [PMID: 33667547 PMCID: PMC8042448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human PrP (huPrP) is a high-affinity receptor for oligomeric amyloid β (Aβ) protein aggregates. Binding of Aβ oligomers to membrane-anchored huPrP has been suggested to trigger neurotoxic cell signaling in Alzheimer’s disease, while an N-terminal soluble fragment of huPrP can sequester Aβ oligomers and reduce their toxicity. Synthetic oligomeric Aβ species are known to be heterogeneous, dynamic, and transient, rendering their structural investigation particularly challenging. Here, using huPrP to preserve Aβ oligomers by coprecipitating them into large heteroassemblies, we investigated the conformations of Aβ(1–42) oligomers and huPrP in the complex by solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy. The disordered N-terminal region of huPrP becomes immobilized in the complex and therefore visible in dipolar spectra without adopting chemical shifts characteristic of a regular secondary structure. Most of the well-defined C-terminal part of huPrP is part of the rigid complex, and solid-state NMR spectra suggest a loss in regular secondary structure in the two C-terminal α-helices. For Aβ(1–42) oligomers in complex with huPrP, secondary chemical shifts reveal substantial β-strand content. Importantly, not all Aβ(1–42) molecules within the complex have identical conformations. Comparison with the chemical shifts of synthetic Aβ fibrils suggests that the Aβ oligomer preparation represents a heterogeneous mixture of β-strand-rich assemblies, of which some have the potential to evolve and elongate into different fibril polymorphs, reflecting a general propensity of Aβ to adopt variable β-strand-rich conformers. Taken together, our results reveal structural changes in huPrP upon binding to Aβ oligomers that suggest a role of the C terminus of huPrP in cell signaling. Trapping Aβ(1–42) oligomers by binding to huPrP has proved to be a useful tool for studying the structure of these highly heterogeneous β-strand-rich assemblies.
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11
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Urbanc B. Cross-Linked Amyloid β-Protein Oligomers: A Missing Link in Alzheimer's Disease Pathology? J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:1307-1316. [PMID: 33440940 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c07716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) oligomers are broadly viewed as the proximate mediators of toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies, however, provide substantial evidence that Aβ is involved in protection and repair of the central nervous system whereby Aβ oligomer and subsequent fibril formation are integral to its normal antimicrobial and antiviral function. These developments raise a question of what exactly makes Aβ oligomers toxic in the context of AD. This Perspective describes a paradigm shift in the search for toxic Aβ oligomer species that involves oxidative-stress-induced stabilization of Aβ oligomers via cross-linking and reviews most recent research elucidating structural aspects of cross-linked Aβ oligomers and potential inhibition of their toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigita Urbanc
- Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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12
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Noda K, Tachi Y, Okamoto Y. Structural Characteristics of Monomeric Aβ42 on Fibril in the Early Stage of Secondary Nucleation Process. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2989-2998. [PMID: 32794732 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates are believed to be one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease. Aβ peptides form fibrils having cross β-sheet structures mainly through primary nucleation, secondary nucleation, and elongation. In particular, self-catalyzed secondary nucleation is of great interest. Here, we investigate the adsorption of Aβ42 peptides to the Aβ42 fibril to reveal a role of adsorption as a part of secondary nucleation. We performed extensive molecular dynamics simulations based on replica exchange with solute tempering 2 (REST2) to two systems: a monomeric Aβ42 in solution and a complex of an Aβ42 peptide and Aβ42 fibril. Results of our simulations show that the Aβ42 monomer is extended on the fibril. Furthermore, we find that the hairpin structure of the Aβ42 monomer decreases but the helix structure increases by adsorption to the fibril surface. These structural changes are preferable for forming fibril-like aggregates, suggesting that the fibril surface serves as a catalyst in the secondary nucleation process. In addition, the stabilization of the helix structure of the Aβ42 monomer on the fibril indicates that the strategy of a secondary nucleation inhibitor design for Aβ40 can also be used for Aβ42.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Noda
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yuhei Tachi
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yuko Okamoto
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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Thellung S, Corsaro A, Bosio AG, Zambito M, Barbieri F, Mazzanti M, Florio T. Emerging Role of Cellular Prion Protein in the Maintenance and Expansion of Glioma Stem Cells. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111458. [PMID: 31752162 PMCID: PMC6912268 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a membrane-anchored glycoprotein representing the physiological counterpart of PrP scrapie (PrPSc), which plays a pathogenetic role in prion diseases. Relatively little information is however available about physiological role of PrPC. Although PrPC ablation in mice does not induce lethal phenotypes, impairment of neuronal and bone marrow plasticity was reported in embryos and adult animals. In neurons, PrPC stimulates neurite growth, prevents oxidative stress-dependent cell death, and favors antiapoptotic signaling. However, PrPC activity is not restricted to post-mitotic neurons, but promotes cell proliferation and migration during embryogenesis and tissue regeneration in adult. PrPC acts as scaffold to stabilize the binding between different membrane receptors, growth factors, and basement proteins, contributing to tumorigenesis. Indeed, ablation of PrPC expression reduces cancer cell proliferation and migration and restores cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. Conversely, PrPC overexpression in cancer stem cells (CSCs) from different tumors, including gliomas—the most malignant brain tumors—is predictive for poor prognosis, and correlates with relapses. The mechanisms of the PrPC role in tumorigenesis and its molecular partners in this activity are the topic of the present review, with a particular focus on PrPC contribution to glioma CSCs multipotency, invasiveness, and tumorigenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Thellung
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
| | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
| | - Alessia G. Bosio
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
| | - Martina Zambito
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
| | - Federica Barbieri
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
| | - Michele Mazzanti
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Correspondence: (T.F.); (M.M.); Tel.: +39-01-0353-8806 (T.F.); +39-02-5031-4958 (M.M.)
| | - Tullio Florio
- Sezione di Farmacologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna & Centro di Eccellenza per la Ricerca Biomedica (CEBR), Università di Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy; (S.T.); (A.C.); (A.G.B.); (M.Z.); (F.B.)
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (T.F.); (M.M.); Tel.: +39-01-0353-8806 (T.F.); +39-02-5031-4958 (M.M.)
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"Dual Disease" TgAD/GSS mice exhibit enhanced Alzheimer's disease pathology and reveal PrP C-dependent secretion of Aβ. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8524. [PMID: 31189938 PMCID: PMC6562043 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44317-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To address the question of cross-talk between prion protein (PrP) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), we generated TgAD/GSS mice that develop amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques of AD and PrP (specifically mutated PrPA116V) plaques of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS) and compared plaque-related features in these mice to AD mice that express normal (TgAD), high (TgAD/HuPrP), or no (TgAD/PrP-/-) PrPC. In contrast to PrPC, PrPA116V weakly co-localized to Aβ plaques, did not co-immunoprecipitate with Aβ, and poorly bound to Aβ in an ELISA-based binding assay. Despite the reduced association of PrPA116V with Aβ, TgAD/GSS and TgAD/HuPrP mice that express comparable levels of PrPA116V and PrPC respectively, displayed similar increases in Aβ plaque burden and steady state levels of Aβ and its precursor APP compared with TgAD mice. Our Tg mouse lines also revealed a predominance of intracellular Aβ plaques in mice lacking PrPC (TgAD/PrP-/-, TgAD/GSS) compared with an extracellular predominance in PrPC-expressing mice (TgAD, TgAD/HuPrP). Parallel studies in N2aAPPswe cells revealed a direct dependence on PrPC but not PrPA116V for exosome-related secretion of Aβ. Overall, our findings are two-fold; they suggest that PrP expression augments Aβ plaque production, at least in part by an indirect mechanism, perhaps by increasing steady state levels of APP, while they also provide support for a fundamental role of PrPC to bind to and deliver intraneuronal Aβ to exosomes for secretion.
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Ilie IM, Caflisch A. Simulation Studies of Amyloidogenic Polypeptides and Their Aggregates. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6956-6993. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ioana M. Ilie
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Amedeo Caflisch
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich CH-8057, Switzerland
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16
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Le NTT, Wu B, Harris DA. Prion neurotoxicity. Brain Pathol 2019; 29:263-277. [PMID: 30588688 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the mechanisms underlying prion propagation and infectivity are now well established, the processes accounting for prion toxicity and pathogenesis have remained mysterious. These processes are of enormous clinical relevance as they hold the key to identification of new molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we will discuss two broad areas of investigation relevant to understanding prion neurotoxicity. The first is the use of in vitro experimental systems that model key events in prion pathogenesis. In this context, we will describe a hippocampal neuronal culture system we developed that reproduces the earliest pathological alterations in synaptic morphology and function in response to PrPSc . This system has allowed us to define a core synaptotoxic signaling pathway involving the activation of NMDA and AMPA receptors, stimulation of p38 MAPK phosphorylation and collapse of the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines. The second area concerns a striking and unexpected phenomenon in which certain structural manipulations of the PrPC molecule itself, including introduction of N-terminal deletion mutations or binding of antibodies to C-terminal epitopes, unleash powerful toxic effects in cultured cells and transgenic mice. We will describe our studies of this phenomenon, which led to the recognition that it is related to the induction of large, abnormal ionic currents by the structurally altered PrP molecules. Our results suggest a model in which the flexible N-terminal domain of PrPC serves as a toxic effector which is regulated by intramolecular interactions with the globular C-terminal domain. Taken together, these two areas of study have provided important clues to underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of prion neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, much remains to be done on this next frontier of prion science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhat T T Le
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Bei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - David A Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
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Fang C, Wu B, Le NTT, Imberdis T, Mercer RCC, Harris DA. Prions activate a p38 MAPK synaptotoxic signaling pathway. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007283. [PMID: 30235355 PMCID: PMC6147624 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic degeneration is one of the earliest pathological correlates of prion disease, and it is a major determinant of the progression of clinical symptoms. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying prion synaptotoxicity are poorly understood. Previously, we described an experimental system in which treatment of cultured hippocampal neurons with purified PrPSc, the infectious form of the prion protein, induces rapid retraction of dendritic spines, an effect that is entirely dependent on expression of endogenous PrPC by the target neurons. Here, we use this system to dissect pharmacologically the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. We show that PrPSc initiates a stepwise synaptotoxic signaling cascade that includes activation of NMDA receptors, calcium influx, stimulation of p38 MAPK and several downstream kinases, and collapse of the actin cytoskeleton within dendritic spines. Synaptic degeneration is restricted to excitatory synapses, spares presynaptic structures, and results in decrements in functional synaptic transmission. Pharmacological inhibition of any one of the steps in the signaling cascade, as well as expression of a dominant-negative form of p38 MAPK, block PrPSc-induced spine degeneration. Moreover, p38 MAPK inhibitors actually reverse the degenerative process after it has already begun. We also show that, while PrPC mediates the synaptotoxic effects of both PrPSc and the Alzheimer’s Aβ peptide in this system, the two species activate distinct signaling pathways. Taken together, our results provide powerful insights into the biology of prion neurotoxicity, they identify new, druggable therapeutic targets, and they allow comparison of prion synaptotoxic pathways with those involved in other neurodegenerative diseases. Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that includes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru in humans, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. The infectious agent, or prion, that transmits these diseases is a naked protein molecule, the prion protein (PrP), which is an altered form of a normal, cellular protein. Although a great deal is known about how prions propagate themselves and transmit infection, the process by which they actually cause neurons to degenerate has remained mysterious. Here, we have used a specialized neuronal culture system to dissect the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which prions damage synapses, the structures that connect nerve cells and that play a crucial role in learning, memory, and neurological disease. Our results define a stepwise molecular pathway underlying prion synaptic toxicity, which involves activation of glutamate neurotransmitter receptors, influx of calcium ions into the neuron, and stimulation of specific mitogen-activated protein kinases, which attach phosphate groups to proteins to regulate their activity. We demonstrate that specific drugs, as well as a dominant-negative kinase mutant, block these steps and thereby prevent the synaptic degeneration produced by prions. Our results provide new insights into the pathogenesis of prion diseases, they uncover new drug targets for treating these diseases, and they allow us to compare prion diseases to other, more common neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Bei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Nhat T. T. Le
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Thibaut Imberdis
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - Robert C. C. Mercer
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
| | - David A. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Törnquist M, Michaels TCT, Sanagavarapu K, Yang X, Meisl G, Cohen SIA, Knowles TPJ, Linse S. Secondary nucleation in amyloid formation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:8667-8684. [PMID: 29978862 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc02204f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 269] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Nucleation of new peptide and protein aggregates on the surfaces of amyloid fibrils of the same peptide or protein has emerged in the past two decades as a major pathway for both the generation of molecular species responsible for cellular toxicity and for the autocatalytic proliferation of peptide and protein aggregates. A key question in current research is the molecular mechanism and driving forces governing such processes, known as secondary nucleation. In this context, the analogies with other self-assembling systems for which monomer-dependent secondary nucleation has been studied for more than a century provide a valuable source of inspiration. Here, we present a short overview of this background and then review recent results regarding secondary nucleation of amyloid-forming peptides and proteins, focusing in particular on the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) from Alzheimer's disease, with some examples regarding α-synuclein from Parkinson's disease. Monomer-dependent secondary nucleation of Aβ was discovered using a combination of kinetic experiments, global analysis, seeding experiments and selective isotope-enrichment, which pinpoint the monomer as the origin of new aggregates in a fibril-catalyzed reaction. Insights into driving forces are gained from variations of solution conditions, temperature and peptide sequence. Selective inhibition of secondary nucleation is explored as an effective means to limit oligomer production and toxicity. We also review experiments aimed at finding interaction partners of oligomers generated by secondary nucleation in an ongoing aggregation process. At the end of this feature article we bring forward outstanding questions and testable mechanistic hypotheses regarding monomer-dependent secondary nucleation in amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Törnquist
- Lund University, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Chemical Centre, PO Box 124, SE221 00 Lund, Sweden.
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Pagano K, Galante D, D'Arrigo C, Corsaro A, Nizzari M, Florio T, Molinari H, Tomaselli S, Ragona L. Effects of Prion Protein on Aβ42 and Pyroglutamate-Modified AβpΕ3-42 Oligomerization and Toxicity. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:1957-1971. [PMID: 29981054 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1202-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Soluble Aβ oligomers are widely recognized as the toxic forms responsible for triggering AD, and Aβ receptors are hypothesized to represent the first step in a neuronal cascade leading to dementia. Cellular prion protein (PrP) has been reported as a high-affinity binder of Aβ oligomers. The interactions of PrP with both Aβ42 and the highly toxic N-truncated pyroglutamylated species (AβpE3-42) are here investigated, at a molecular level, by means of ThT fluorescence, NMR and TEM. We demonstrate that soluble PrP binds both Aβ42 and AβpE3-42, preferentially interacting with oligomeric species and delaying fibril formation. Residue level analysis of Aβ42 oligomerization process reveals, for the first time, that PrP is able to differently interact with the forming oligomers, depending on the aggregation state of the starting Aβ42 sample. A distinct behavior is observed for Aβ42 1-30 region and C-terminal residues, suggesting that PrP protects Aβ42 N-tail from entangling on the mature NMR-invisible fibril, consistent with the hypothesis that Aβ42 N-tail is the locus of interaction with PrP. PrP/AβpE3-42 interactions are here reported for the first time. All interaction data are validated and complemented by cellular tests performed on Wt and PrP-silenced neuronal cell lines, clearly showing PrP dependent Aβ oligomer cell internalization and toxicity. The ability of soluble PrP to compete with membrane-anchored PrP for binding to Aβ oligomers bears relevance for studies of druggable pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katiuscia Pagano
- Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole (ISMAC), CNR, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessandro Corsaro
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Center of Excellence for Biomedical research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Mario Nizzari
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Center of Excellence for Biomedical research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tullio Florio
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, and Center of Excellence for Biomedical research (CEBR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Simona Tomaselli
- Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole (ISMAC), CNR, Milan, Italy.
| | - Laura Ragona
- Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole (ISMAC), CNR, Milan, Italy.
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Cellular Receptors of Amyloid β Oligomers (AβOs) in Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19071884. [PMID: 29954063 PMCID: PMC6073792 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19071884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
It is estimated that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects tens of millions of people, comprising not only suffering patients, but also their relatives and caregivers. AD is one of age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) characterized by progressive synaptic damage and neuronal loss, which result in gradual cognitive impairment leading to dementia. The cause of AD remains still unresolved, despite being studied for more than a century. The hallmark pathological features of this disease are senile plaques within patients’ brain composed of amyloid beta (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of Tau protein. However, the roles of Aβ and Tau in AD pathology are being questioned and other causes of AD are postulated. One of the most interesting theories proposed is the causative role of amyloid β oligomers (AβOs) aggregation in the pathogenesis of AD. Moreover, binding of AβOs to cell membranes is probably mediated by certain proteins on the neuronal cell surface acting as AβO receptors. The aim of our paper is to describe alternative hypotheses of AD etiology, including genetic alterations and the role of misfolded proteins, especially Aβ oligomers, in Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, in this review we present various putative cellular AβO receptors related to toxic activity of oligomers.
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Younan ND, Chen KF, Rose RS, Crowther DC, Viles JH. Prion protein stabilizes amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers and enhances Aβ neurotoxicity in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:13090-13099. [PMID: 29887525 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.003319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrPC) can act as a cell-surface receptor for β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide; however, a role for PrPC in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is contested. Here, we expressed a range of Aβ isoforms and PrPC in the Drosophila brain. We found that co-expression of Aβ and PrPC significantly reduces the lifespan, disrupts circadian rhythms, and increases Aβ deposition in the fly brain. In contrast, under the same conditions, expression of Aβ or PrPC individually did not lead to these phenotypic changes. In vitro studies revealed that substoichiometric amounts of PrPC trap Aβ as oligomeric assemblies and fragment-preformed Aβ fibers. The ability of membrane-anchored PrPC to trap Aβ as cytotoxic oligomers at the membrane surface and fragment inert Aβ fibers suggests a mechanism by which PrPC exacerbates Aβ deposition and pathogenic phenotypes in the fly, supporting a role for PrPC in AD. This study provides a second animal model linking PrPC expression with Aβ toxicity and supports a role for PrPC in AD pathogenesis. Blocking the interaction of Aβ and PrPC represents a potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine D Younan
- From the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Ko-Fan Chen
- the Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom, and
| | - Ruth-Sarah Rose
- From the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Damian C Crowther
- the Neuroscience IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - John H Viles
- From the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom,
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Linsenmeier L, Mohammadi B, Wetzel S, Puig B, Jackson WS, Hartmann A, Uchiyama K, Sakaguchi S, Endres K, Tatzelt J, Saftig P, Glatzel M, Altmeppen HC. Structural and mechanistic aspects influencing the ADAM10-mediated shedding of the prion protein. Mol Neurodegener 2018; 13:18. [PMID: 29625583 PMCID: PMC5889536 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-018-0248-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Proteolytic processing of the prion protein (PrPC) by endogenous proteases generates bioactive membrane-bound and soluble fragments which may help to explain the pleiotropic roles of this protein in the nervous system and in brain diseases. Shedding of almost full-length PrPC into the extracellular space by the metalloprotease ADAM10 is of peculiar relevance since soluble PrP stimulates axonal outgrowth and is protective in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and prion disease. However, molecular determinates and mechanisms regulating the shedding of PrP are entirely unknown. Methods We produced an antibody recognizing the neo-epitope of shed PrP generated by ADAM10 in biological samples and used it to study structural and mechanistic aspects affecting the shedding. For this, we investigated genetically modified cellular and murine models by biochemical and morphological approaches. Results We show that the novel antibody specifically detects shed PrP in cell culture supernatants and murine brain. We demonstrate that ADAM10 is the exclusive sheddase of PrPC in the nervous system and reveal that the glycosylation state and type of membrane-anchorage of PrPC severely affect its shedding. Furthermore, we provide evidence that PrP shedding can be modulated by pharmacological inhibition and stimulation and present data suggesting that shedding is a relevant part of a compensatory network ensuring PrPC homeostasis of the cell. Conclusions With the new antibody, our study introduces a new tool to reliably investigate PrP-shedding. In addition, this study provides novel and important insight into the regulation of this cleavage event, which is likely to be relevant for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches even beyond neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Linsenmeier
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wetzel
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Alexander Hartmann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Keiji Uchiyama
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Suehiro Sakaguchi
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Enzyme Research, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kristina Endres
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Paul Saftig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hermann C. Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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Abstract
Several studies have indicated that certain misfolded amyloids composed of tau, β-amyloid or α-synuclein can be transferred from cell to cell, suggesting the contribution of mechanisms reminiscent of those by which infective prions spread through the brain. This process of a 'prion-like' spreading between cells is also relevant as a novel putative therapeutic target that could block the spreading of proteinaceous aggregates throughout the brain which may underlie the progressive nature of neurodegenerative diseases. The relevance of β-amyloid oligomers and cellular prion protein (PrPC) binding has been a focus of interest in Alzheimer's disease (AD). At the molecular level, β-amyloid/PrPC interaction takes place in two differently charged clusters of PrPC. In addition to β-amyloid, participation of PrPC in α-synuclein binding and brain spreading also appears to be relevant in α-synucleopathies. This review summarizes current knowledge about PrPC as a putative receptor for amyloid proteins and the physiological consequences of these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Del Río
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain; Senior Consultant Neuropathology, Service of Pathology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
| | - Rosalina Gavín
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Lathe R, Darlix JL. Prion Protein PRNP: A New Player in Innate Immunity? The Aβ Connection. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2017; 1:263-275. [PMID: 30480243 PMCID: PMC6159716 DOI: 10.3233/adr-170037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion protein PRNP has been centrally implicated in the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), but its normal physiological role remains obscure. We highlight emerging evidence that PRNP displays antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the replication of multiple viruses, and also interacts directly with Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide whose own antimicrobial role is now increasingly secure. PRNP and Aβ share share membrane-penetrating, nucleic acid binding, and antiviral properties with classical antimicrobial peptides such as LL-37. We discuss findings that binding of abnormal nucleic acids to PRNP leads to oligomerization of the protein, and suggest that this may be an entrapment and sequestration process that contributes to its antimicrobial activity. Some antimicrobial peptides are known to be exploited by infectious agents, and we cover evidence that PRNP is usurped by herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that has evolved a virus-encoded 'anti-PRNP'.unction. These findings suggest that PRNP, like LL-37 and Aβ, is likely to be a component of the innate immune system, with implications for the pathoetiology of both AD and TSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Jean-Luc Darlix
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité 7213, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
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