1
|
Sola Fraca D, Sánchez Garrigós E, de Francisco Moure J, Marín Gonzalez B, Badiola Díez JJ, Acín Tresaco C. Sleep disturbance in clinical and preclinical scrapie-infected sheep measured by polysomnography. Vet Q 2024; 44:1-9. [PMID: 38698657 PMCID: PMC11073408 DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2024.2349674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by neuronal loss and abnormal deposition of pathological proteins in the nervous system. Among the most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are one of the most common symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, one of the main objectives in the study of TSEs is to try to establish an early diagnosis, as clinical signs do not appear until the damage to the central nervous system is very advanced, which prevents any therapeutic approach. In this paper, we provide the first description of sleep disturbance caused by classical scrapie in clinical and preclinical sheep using polysomnography compared to healthy controls. Fifteen sheep classified into three groups, clinical, preclinical and negative control, were analysed. The results show a decrease in total sleep time as the disease progresses, with significant changes between control, clinical and pre-clinical animals. The results also show an increase in sleep fragmentation in clinical animals compared to preclinical and control animals. In addition, sheep with clinical scrapie show a total loss of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) and alterations in Non Rapid Eyes Movement sleep (NREM) compared to control sheep, demonstrating more shallow sleep. Although further research is needed, these results suggest that prion diseases also produce sleep disturbances in animals and that polysomnography could be a diagnostic tool of interest in clinical and preclinical cases of prion diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sola Fraca
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Universidad de Zaragoza, IA2, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | | | - Belén Marín Gonzalez
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Universidad de Zaragoza, IA2, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Juan José Badiola Díez
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Universidad de Zaragoza, IA2, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Cristina Acín Tresaco
- Centro de Encefalopatías y Enfermedades Transmisibles Emergentes, Universidad de Zaragoza, IA2, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hall D. Biophysical Reviews' "Meet the Editors Series": a profile of Damien Hall. Biophys Rev 2023; 15:1883-1896. [PMID: 38192343 PMCID: PMC10771549 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01176-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
This piece introduces Damien Hall, Chief Editor of the Biophysical Reviews journal since 2019. Currently working as an Assistant Professor at Kanazawa University, the author describes his association with the journal along with some parts of his family history and academic journey.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damien Hall
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1164 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kell DB, Pretorius E. Are fibrinaloid microclots a cause of autoimmunity in Long Covid and other post-infection diseases? Biochem J 2023; 480:1217-1240. [PMID: 37584410 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
It is now well established that the blood-clotting protein fibrinogen can polymerise into an anomalous form of fibrin that is amyloid in character; the resultant clots and microclots entrap many other molecules, stain with fluorogenic amyloid stains, are rather resistant to fibrinolysis, can block up microcapillaries, are implicated in a variety of diseases including Long COVID, and have been referred to as fibrinaloids. A necessary corollary of this anomalous polymerisation is the generation of novel epitopes in proteins that would normally be seen as 'self', and otherwise immunologically silent. The precise conformation of the resulting fibrinaloid clots (that, as with prions and classical amyloid proteins, can adopt multiple, stable conformations) must depend on the existing small molecules and metal ions that the fibrinogen may (and is some cases is known to) have bound before polymerisation. Any such novel epitopes, however, are likely to lead to the generation of autoantibodies. A convergent phenomenology, including distinct conformations and seeding of the anomalous form for initiation and propagation, is emerging to link knowledge in prions, prionoids, amyloids and now fibrinaloids. We here summarise the evidence for the above reasoning, which has substantial implications for our understanding of the genesis of autoimmunity (and the possible prevention thereof) based on the primary process of fibrinaloid formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 200, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1 Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Esmaili M, Eldeeb M. Cellular toxicity of scrapie prions in prion diseases; a biochemical and molecular overview. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:1743-1752. [PMID: 36446981 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07806-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases consist of a broad range of fatal neurological disorders affecting humans and animals. Contrary to Watson and Crick's 'central dogma', prion diseases are caused by a protein, devoid of DNA involvement. Herein, we briefly review various cellular and biological aspects of prions and prion pathogenesis focusing mainly on historical milestones, biosynthesis, degradation, structure-function of cellular and scrapie forms of prions .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mansoore Esmaili
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Mohamed Eldeeb
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Guadagno AH, Medina SH. The manifold role of octapeptide repeats in prion protein assembly. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2023; 115. [PMID: 37153755 PMCID: PMC10162500 DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Prion protein misfolding is associated with fatal neurodegenerative disorders such as kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and several animal encephalopathies. While the C-terminal 106-126 peptide has been well studied for its role in prion replication and toxicity, the octapeptide repeat (OPR) sequence found within the N-terminal domain has been relatively under explored. Recent findings that the OPR has both local and long-range effects on prion protein folding and assembly, as well as its ability to bind and regulate transition metal homeostasis, highlights the important role this understudied region may have in prion pathologies. This review attempts to collate this knowledge to advance a deeper understanding on the varied physiologic and pathologic roles the prion OPR plays, and connect these findings to potential therapeutic modalities focused on OPR-metal binding. Continued study of the OPR will not only elucidate a more complete mechanistic model of prion pathology, but may enhance knowledge on other neurodegenerative processes underlying Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy H. Guadagno
- Nanomedicine, Intercollegiate Degree Program Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - Scott H. Medina
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Alraawi Z, Banerjee N, Mohanty S, Kumar TKS. Amyloidogenesis: What Do We Know So Far? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213970. [PMID: 36430450 PMCID: PMC9695042 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of protein aggregation, and amyloidosis in particular, has gained considerable interest in recent times. Several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) show a characteristic buildup of proteinaceous aggregates in several organs, especially the brain. Despite the enormous upsurge in research articles in this arena, it would not be incorrect to say that we still lack a crystal-clear idea surrounding these notorious aggregates. In this review, we attempt to present a holistic picture on protein aggregation and amyloids in particular. Using a chronological order of discoveries, we present the case of amyloids right from the onset of their discovery, various biophysical techniques, including analysis of the structure, the mechanisms and kinetics of the formation of amyloids. We have discussed important questions on whether aggregation and amyloidosis are restricted to a subset of specific proteins or more broadly influenced by the biophysiochemical and cellular environment. The therapeutic strategies and the significant failure rate of drugs in clinical trials pertaining to these neurodegenerative diseases have been also discussed at length. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the globe hard, the review also discusses the plausibility of the far-reaching consequences posed by the virus, such as triggering early onset of amyloidosis. Finally, the application(s) of amyloids as useful biomaterials has also been discussed briefly in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeina Alraawi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Fulbright College of Art and Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Nayan Banerjee
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Srujana Mohanty
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata 741246, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Loh D, Reiter RJ. Melatonin: Regulation of Prion Protein Phase Separation in Cancer Multidrug Resistance. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27030705. [PMID: 35163973 PMCID: PMC8839844 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The unique ability to adapt and thrive in inhospitable, stressful tumor microenvironments (TME) also renders cancer cells resistant to traditional chemotherapeutic treatments and/or novel pharmaceuticals. Cancer cells exhibit extensive metabolic alterations involving hypoxia, accelerated glycolysis, oxidative stress, and increased extracellular ATP that may activate ancient, conserved prion adaptive response strategies that exacerbate multidrug resistance (MDR) by exploiting cellular stress to increase cancer metastatic potential and stemness, balance proliferation and differentiation, and amplify resistance to apoptosis. The regulation of prions in MDR is further complicated by important, putative physiological functions of ligand-binding and signal transduction. Melatonin is capable of both enhancing physiological functions and inhibiting oncogenic properties of prion proteins. Through regulation of phase separation of the prion N-terminal domain which targets and interacts with lipid rafts, melatonin may prevent conformational changes that can result in aggregation and/or conversion to pathological, infectious isoforms. As a cancer therapy adjuvant, melatonin could modulate TME oxidative stress levels and hypoxia, reverse pH gradient changes, reduce lipid peroxidation, and protect lipid raft compositions to suppress prion-mediated, non-Mendelian, heritable, but often reversible epigenetic adaptations that facilitate cancer heterogeneity, stemness, metastasis, and drug resistance. This review examines some of the mechanisms that may balance physiological and pathological effects of prions and prion-like proteins achieved through the synergistic use of melatonin to ameliorate MDR, which remains a challenge in cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doris Loh
- Independent Researcher, Marble Falls, TX 78654, USA
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (R.J.R.)
| | - Russel J. Reiter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (R.J.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Pogue AI, Lukiw WJ. microRNA-146a-5p, Neurotropic Viral Infection and Prion Disease (PrD). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179198. [PMID: 34502105 PMCID: PMC8431499 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain and central nervous system (CNS) harbor a select sub-group of potentially pathogenic microRNAs (miRNAs), including a well-characterized NF-kB-sensitive Homo sapiens microRNA hsa-miRNA-146a-5p (miRNA-146a). miRNA-146a is significantly over-expressed in progressive and often lethal viral- and prion-mediated and related neurological syndromes associated with progressive inflammatory neurodegeneration. These include ~18 different viral-induced encephalopathies for which data are available, at least ~10 known prion diseases (PrD) of animals and humans, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other sporadic and progressive age-related neurological disorders. Despite the apparent lack of nucleic acids in prions, both DNA- and RNA-containing viruses along with prions significantly induce miRNA-146a in the infected host, but whether this represents part of the host’s adaptive immunity, innate-immune response or a mechanism to enable the invading prion or virus a successful infection is not well understood. Current findings suggest an early and highly interactive role for miRNA-146a: (i) as a major small noncoding RNA (sncRNA) regulator of innate-immune responses and inflammatory signaling in cells of the human brain and CNS; (ii) as a critical component of the complement system and immune-related neurological dysfunction; (iii) as an inducible sncRNA of the brain and CNS that lies at a critical intersection of several important neurobiological adaptive immune response processes with highly interactive associations involving complement factor H (CFH), Toll-like receptor pathways, the innate-immunity, cytokine production, apoptosis and neural cell decline; and (iv) as a potential biomarker for viral infection, TSE and AD and other neurological diseases in both animals and humans. In this report, we review the recent data supporting the idea that miRNA-146a may represent a novel and unique sncRNA-based biomarker for inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple species. This paper further reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the nature and mechanism of miRNA-146a in viral and prion infection of the human brain and CNS with reference to AD wherever possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Walter J. Lukiw
- LSU Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Prion Dissemination through the Environment and Medical Practices: Facts and Risks for Human Health. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e0005919. [PMID: 34319151 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00059-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of fatal, infectious neurodegenerative disorders affecting various species of mammals, including humans. The infectious agent in these diseases, termed prion, is composed exclusively of a misfolded protein that can spread and multiply in the absence of genetic materials. In this article, we provide an overview of the mechanisms of prion replication, interindividual transmission, and dissemination in communities. In particular, we review the potential role of the natural environment in prion transmission, including the mechanisms and pathways for prion entry and accumulation in the environment as well as its roles in prion mutation, adaptation, evolution, and transmission. We also discuss the transmission of prion diseases through medical practices, scientific research, and use of biological products. Detailed knowledge of these aspects is crucial to limit the spreading of existing prion diseases as well as to prevent the emergence of new diseases with possible catastrophic consequences for public health.
Collapse
|
10
|
Viral and Prion Infections Associated with Central Nervous System Syndromes in Brazil. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071370. [PMID: 34372576 PMCID: PMC8310075 DOI: 10.3390/v13071370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-induced infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are among the most serious problems in public health and can be associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, mainly in low- and middle-income countries, where these manifestations have been neglected. Typically, herpes simplex virus 1 and 2, varicella-zoster, and enterovirus are responsible for a high number of cases in immunocompetent hosts, whereas other herpesviruses (for example, cytomegalovirus) are the most common in immunocompromised individuals. Arboviruses have also been associated with outbreaks with a high burden of neurological disorders, such as the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil. There is a current lack of understanding in Brazil about the most common viruses involved in CNS infections. In this review, we briefly summarize the most recent studies and findings associated with the CNS, in addition to epidemiological data that provide extensive information on the circulation and diversity of the most common neuro-invasive viruses in Brazil. We also highlight important aspects of the prion-associated diseases. This review provides readers with better knowledge of virus-associated CNS infections. A deeper understanding of these infections will support the improvement of the current surveillance strategies to allow the timely monitoring of the emergence/re-emergence of neurotropic viruses.
Collapse
|
11
|
Figgie MP, Appleby BS. Clinical Use of Improved Diagnostic Testing for Detection of Prion Disease. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050789. [PMID: 33925126 PMCID: PMC8146465 DOI: 10.3390/v13050789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are difficult to recognize as many symptoms are shared among other neurologic pathologies and the full spectra of symptoms usually do not appear until late in the disease course. Additionally, many commonly used laboratory markers are non-specific to prion disease. The recent introduction of second-generation real time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) has revolutionized pre-mortem diagnosis of prion disease due to its extremely high sensitivity and specificity. However, RT-QuIC does not provide prognostic data and has decreased diagnostic accuracy in some rarer, atypical prion diseases. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the current clinical utility of fluid-based biomarkers, neurodiagnostic testing, and brain imaging in the diagnosis of prion disease and to suggest guidelines for their clinical use, with a focus on rarer prion diseases with atypical features. Recent advancements in laboratory-based testing and imaging criteria have shown improved diagnostic accuracy and prognostic potential in prion disease, but because these diagnostic tests are not sensitive in some prion disease subtypes and diagnostic test sensitivities are unknown in the event that CWD transmits to humans, it is important to continue investigations into the clinical utility of various testing modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark P. Figgie
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Brian S. Appleby
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Considering the use of the terms strain and adaptation in prion research. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06801. [PMID: 33898853 PMCID: PMC8060586 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary biologists and disease biologists use the terms strain and adaptation in Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) research in different ways. In evolutionary biology, a strain is a nascent genetic lineage that can be described by a genealogy, and a phylogenetic nomenclature constructed to reflect that genealogy. Prion strains are described as showing distinct host range, clinical presentation, disease progression, and neuropathological and PrP biochemical profiles, and lack information that would permit phylogenetic reconstruction of their history. Prion strains are alternative protein conformations, sometimes derived from the same genotype. I suggest referring to prion strains as ecotypes, because the variant phenotypic conformations ("strains") are a function of the interaction between PRNP amino acid genotype and the host environment. In the case of CWD, a prion ecotype in white-tailed deer would be described by its genotype and the host in which it occurs, such as the H95 + ecotype. However, an evolutionary nomenclature is difficult because not all individuals with the same PRNP genotype show signs of CWD, therefore creating a nomenclature reflecting and one-to-one relationship between PRNP genealogy and CWD presence is difficult. Furthermore, very little information exists on the phylogenetic distribution of CWD ecotypes in wild deer populations. Adaptation has a clear meaning in evolutionary biology, the differential survival and reproduction of individual genotypes. If a new prion ecotype arises in a particular host and kills more hosts or kills at an earlier age, it is the antithesis of the evolutionary definition of adaptation. However, prion strains might be transmitted across generations epigenetically, but whether this represents adaptation depends on the fitness consequences of the strain. Protein phenotypes of PRNP that cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), and CWD, are maladaptive and would not be propagated genetically or epigenetically via a process consistent with an evolutionary view of adaptation. I suggest terming the process of prion strain origination "phenotypic transformation", and only adaptation if evidence shows they are not maladaptive and persist over evolutionary time periods (e.g., thousands of generations) and across distinct species boundaries (via inheritance). Thus, prion biologists use strain and adaptation, historically evolutionary terms, in quite different ways.
Collapse
|
13
|
Effect of Scrapie Prion Infection in Ovine Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Ovine Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Neurons. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11041137. [PMID: 33921147 PMCID: PMC8071557 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and animals. The development of in vitro cellular models from naturally susceptible species like humans or ruminants can potentially make a great contribution to the study of many aspects of these diseases, including the ability of prions to infect and replicate in cells and therapeutics. Our study shows for the first time how ovine mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and their neural-like progeny are able to react to scrapie prion infection in vitro and assesses the effects of this infection on cell viability and proliferation. Finally, we observe that the differentiation of ovine mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells makes them more permissive to prion infection. Abstract Scrapie is a prion disease affecting sheep and goats and it is considered a prototype of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as candidates for developing in vitro models of prion diseases. Murine MSCs are able to propagate prions after previous mouse-adaptation of prion strains and, although ovine MSCs express the cellular prion protein (PrPC), their susceptibility to prion infection has never been investigated. Here, we analyze the potential of ovine bone marrow-derived MSCs (oBM-MSCs), in growth and neurogenic conditions, to be infected by natural scrapie and propagate prion particles (PrPSc) in vitro, as well as the effect of this infection on cell viability and proliferation. Cultures were kept for 48–72 h in contact with homogenates of central nervous system (CNS) samples from scrapie or control sheep. In growth conditions, oBM-MSCs initially maintained detectable levels of PrPSc post-inoculation, as determined by Western blotting and ELISA. However, the PrPSc signal weakened and was lost over time. oBM-MSCs infected with scrapie displayed lower cell doubling and higher doubling times than those infected with control inocula. On the other hand, in neurogenic conditions, oBM-MSCs not only maintained detectable levels of PrPSc post-inoculation, as determined by ELISA, but this PrPSc signal also increased progressively over time. Finally, inoculation with CNS extracts seems to induce the proliferation of oBM-MSCs in both growth and neurogenic conditions. Our results suggest that oBM-MSCs respond to prion infection by decreasing their proliferation capacity and thus might not be permissive to prion replication, whereas ovine MSC-derived neuron-like cells seem to maintain and replicate PrPSc.
Collapse
|
14
|
Wildburger NC, Hartke AS, Schidlitzki A, Richter F. Current Evidence for a Bidirectional Loop Between the Lysosome and Alpha-Synuclein Proteoforms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:598446. [PMID: 33282874 PMCID: PMC7705175 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.598446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence collected in recent decades suggests that lysosomal dysfunction contributes to neurodegenerative diseases, especially if amyloid proteins are involved. Among these, alpha-synuclein (aSyn) that progressively accumulates and aggregates in Lewy bodies is undisputedly a main culprit in Parkinson disease (PD) pathogenesis. Lysosomal dysfunction is evident in brains of PD patients, and mutations in lysosomal enzymes are a major risk factor of PD. At first glance, the role of protein-degrading lysosomes in a disease with pathological protein accumulation seems obvious and should guide the development of straightforward and rational therapeutic targets. However, our review demonstrates that the story is more complicated for aSyn. The protein can possess diverse posttranslational modifications, aggregate formations, and truncations, all of which contribute to a growing known set of proteoforms. These interfere directly or indirectly with lysosome function, reducing their own degradation, and thereby accelerating the protein aggregation and disease process. Conversely, unbalanced lysosomal enzymatic processes can produce truncated aSyn proteoforms that may be more toxic and prone to aggregation. This highlights the possibility of enhancing lysosomal function as a treatment for PD, if it can be confirmed that this approach effectively reduces harmful aSyn proteoforms and does not produce novel, toxic proteoforms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norelle C Wildburger
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover, Germany.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hanover, Germany
| | - Anna-Sophia Hartke
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover, Germany
| | - Alina Schidlitzki
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover, Germany
| | - Franziska Richter
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover, Germany.,Center for Systems Neuroscience, Hanover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
The term “prion” was originally coined to describe the proteinaceous infectious agents involved in mammalian neurological disorders. More recently, a prion has been defined as a nonchromosomal, protein-based genetic element that is capable of converting the copies of its own benign variant into the prion form, with the new phenotypic effects that can be transmitted through the cytoplasm. Some prions are toxic to the cell, are able to aggregate and/or form amyloid structures, and may be infectious in the wild, but none of those traits are seen as an integral property of all prions. The term “prion” was originally coined to describe the proteinaceous infectious agents involved in mammalian neurological disorders. More recently, a prion has been defined as a nonchromosomal, protein-based genetic element that is capable of converting the copies of its own benign variant into the prion form, with the new phenotypic effects that can be transmitted through the cytoplasm. Some prions are toxic to the cell, are able to aggregate and/or form amyloid structures, and may be infectious in the wild, but none of those traits are seen as an integral property of all prions. We propose that the definition of prion should be expanded, to include the inducible transmissible entities undergoing autocatalytic conversion and consisting of RNA rather than protein. We show that when seen in this framework, some naturally occurring RNAs, including ribozymes, riboswitches, viroids, viroid-like retroelements, and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), possess several of the characteristic properties of prions.
Collapse
|
16
|
Malmberg M, Malm T, Gustafsson O, Sturchio A, Graff C, Espay AJ, Wright AP, El Andaloussi S, Lindén A, Ezzat K. Disentangling the Amyloid Pathways: A Mechanistic Approach to Etiology. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:256. [PMID: 32372895 PMCID: PMC7186396 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are fibrillar protein aggregates associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), type II diabetes and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The process of amyloid polymerization involves three pathological protein transformations; from natively folded conformation to the cross-β conformation, from biophysically soluble to insoluble, and from biologically functional to non-functional. While amyloids share a similar cross-β conformation, the biophysical transformation can either take place spontaneously via a homogeneous nucleation mechanism (HON) or catalytically on an exogenous surface via a heterogeneous nucleation mechanism (HEN). Here, we postulate that the different nucleation pathways can serve as a mechanistic basis for an etiological classification of amyloidopathies, where hereditary forms generally follow the HON pathway, while sporadic forms follow seed-induced (prions) or surface-induced (including microbially induced) HEN pathways. Critically, the conformational and biophysical amyloid transformation results in loss-of-function (LOF) of the original natively folded and soluble protein. This LOF can, at least initially, be the mechanism of amyloid toxicity even before amyloid accumulation reaches toxic levels. By highlighting the important role of non-protein species in amyloid formation and LOF mechanisms of toxicity, we propose a generalized mechanistic framework that could help better understand the diverse etiology of amyloid diseases and offer new opportunities for therapeutic interventions, including replacement therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maja Malmberg
- Section of Virology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- SLU Global Bioinformatics Centre, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Oskar Gustafsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea Sturchio
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, James J and Joan A Gardner Center for Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Caroline Graff
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- Unit for Hereditary Dementias, Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Alberto J. Espay
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, James J and Joan A Gardner Center for Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Anthony P. Wright
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Samir El Andaloussi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anders Lindén
- Unit for Lung and Airway Research, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kariem Ezzat
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Lathe R, Darlix JL. Prion protein PrP nucleic acid binding and mobilization implicates retroelements as the replicative component of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Arch Virol 2020; 165:535-556. [PMID: 32025859 PMCID: PMC7024060 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-020-04529-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The existence of more than 30 strains of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) and the paucity of infectivity of purified PrPSc, as well as considerations of PrP structure, are inconsistent with the protein-only (prion) theory of TSE. Nucleic acid is a strong contender as a second component. We juxtapose two key findings: (i) PrP is a nucleic-acid-binding antimicrobial protein that is similar to retroviral Gag proteins in its ability to trigger reverse transcription. (ii) Retroelement mobilization is widely seen in TSE disease. Given further evidence that PrP also mediates nucleic acid transport into and out of the cell, a strong case is to be made that a second element – retroelement nucleic acid – bound to PrP constitutes the second component necessary to explain the multiple strains of TSE.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh School of Medicine, Edinburgh, UK. .,Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow, Moscow Region, Russia.
| | - Jean-Luc Darlix
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Laboratory of Bioimaging and Pathologies (Unité Mixte de Recherche 7021), Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Hu C, Chen C, Chen J, Xiao K, Wang J, Shi Q, Ma Y, Gao LP, Wu YZ, Liu L, Xia Y, Yan P, Maimaitiming A, Zhou DH, Zhang LN, Chen ZB, Dong XP. The low levels of nerve growth factor and its upstream regulatory kinases in prion infection is reversed by resveratrol. Neurosci Res 2019; 162:52-62. [PMID: 31891740 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Resveratrol shows ability to eliminate prion replication, but the exact mechanism for prion eradication was not clear yet. Our previous studies demonstrate a downregulation of brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) during prion infection, meanwhile recovery of cerebral nerve growth factor (NGF) level by resveratrol treatment has been reported in other neurodegenerative models. To obtain the possible changes of brain NGF and its upstream regulatory cascade during prion infection and after removal of prion propagation, the levels of NGF and its upstream regulatory factors in various prion-infected and prion-eradicated SMB cell lines and mice brains inoculated with various SMB cellular lysates were assessed with various methodologies. The levels of NGF were significantly decreased during prion replication, while recovered after removal of PrPSc by resveratrol in vitro. Morphological assays revealed that the NGF signals mainly colocalized within neurons, but not in the proliferative astrocytes and microglia. The upstream positive regulatory kinases, such as p-CREB, p-CaMKIV, CaMKK2 were decreased in the prion infected cells and mice brains, whereas the negative regulatory one, p-CaMKK2, was increased. The aberrant situations of those kinases in prion infected cell lines or mice brains could be also partially reversed by removal of prion agent. Moreover, we demonstrated that the signals of CaMKK2 and p-CaMKK2 were also distributed predominately in neurons in the brain tissues. The data illustrate a direct linkage of abnormally repressive NGF and its upstream regulatory kinases with prion infection. Resveratrol has not only the ability to inhibit prion replication, but also to improve the expression of NGF via CaMKK2/CaMKIV cascade, which might benefit the microenvironment in brains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Hu
- College of Agricultural, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Cao Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, China; Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiao Hong Shan No.44, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Jia Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; College of Animal Science Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Kang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Qi Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Yue Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Ping Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yue-Zhang Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lian Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Ying Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Pu Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Adalaiti Maimaitiming
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Hua Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Na Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Bao Chen
- College of Agricultural, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; College of Life Science and Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China.
| | - Xiao-Ping Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, China; Center for Global Public Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chang-Bai Rd 155, Beijing 102206, China; Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiao Hong Shan No.44, Wuhan, 430071, China; China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nakagawa Y, Yamada S. Metal homeostasis disturbances in neurodegenerative disorders, with special emphasis on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - Potential pathogenetic mechanism and therapeutic implications. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 207:107455. [PMID: 31863817 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.107455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is characterized by a rapidly progressive dementia often accompanied by myoclonus and other signs of brain dysfunction, relying on the conversion of the normal cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) to a misfolded form (PrPSc). The neuropathological changes include spongiform degeneration, neuronal loss, astrogliosis, and deposition of PrPSc. It is still unclear how these pathological changes correlate with the development of CJD symptoms because few patients survive beyond 2 years after diagnosis. Inasmuch as the symptoms of CJD overlap some of those observed in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, there may be some underlying pathologic mechanisms associated with CJD that may contribute to the symptoms of non-prion neurodegenerative diseases as well. Data suggest that imbalance of metals, including copper, zinc, iron, and manganese, induces abnormalities in processing and degradation of prion proteins that are accompanied by self-propagation of PrPSc. These events appear to be responsible for glutamatergic synaptic dysfunctions, neuronal death, and PrPSc aggregation. Given that the prodromal symptoms of CJD such as sleep disturbances and mood disorders are associated with brain stem and limbic system dysfunction, the pathological changes may initially occur in these brain regions, then spread throughout the entire brain. Alterations in cerebrospinal fluid homeostasis, which may be linked to imbalance of these metals, seem to be more important than neuroinflammation in causing the cell death. It is proposed that metal dyshomeostasis could be responsible for the initiation and progression of the pathological changes associated with symptoms of CJD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Nakagawa
- Center for Pharma-Food Research (CPFR), Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Integrative Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan.
| | - Shizuo Yamada
- Center for Pharma-Food Research (CPFR), Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Integrative Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Gupta VK, Saini C, Oberoi M, Kalra G, Nasir MI. Semmelweis Reflex: An Age-Old Prejudice. World Neurosurg 2019; 136:e119-e125. [PMID: 31837492 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Semmelweis reflex is a human behavioral tendency to stick to preexisting beliefs and to reject fresh ideas that contradict them (despite adequate evidence). We aim to familiarize the readers with the term that not only has a significant historical background but also grave clinical implications. METHODS A keyword search for "Semmelweis reflex," "Belief perseverance," "handwashing," and "Idea rejection" was conducted using PubMed Central, MEDLINE, and Google SCHOLAR. Literature published in paper-based journals and books was also searched. All manuscripts pertaining to these keywords were thoroughly analyzed for this review. RESULTS The first section of our paper briefs the story of Ignaz Semmelweis and brushes on the contributions of other intellectual researchers that were rebuffed initially. The discussion further explains the root cause of this dismissal, an inherent bias against uncertainty that may be at the core of our fear for new ideas. Finally, this review explores the means by which we can prevent ourselves from being a victim of rejection. CONCLUSIONS The age-old prejudice that is Semmelweis reflex is explored in this review. With careful and thorough study design, scientific rigor, and critical self-analysis of the manuscript, one can avoid being victimized by this reflex. The dual edged nature of this reflex lays unveiled when its importance is highlighted in the prematurely accepted medical failures. Understanding that any new idea goes through the grill of being critically analyzed and perceived encourages the scientist to hold on to the original thought as it may rather be practice changing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vipin K Gupta
- Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
| | - Chhavi Saini
- Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Meher Oberoi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Gagan Kalra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Md Imran Nasir
- Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Liberman N, Wang SY, Greer EL. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: from phenomena to molecular mechanisms. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2019; 59:189-206. [PMID: 31634674 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2019.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Inherited information not encoded in the DNA sequence can regulate a variety of complex phenotypes. However, how this epigenetic information escapes the typical epigenetic erasure that occurs upon fertilization and how it regulates behavior is still unclear. Here we review recent examples of brain related transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and delineate potential molecular mechanisms that could regulate how non-genetic information could be transmitted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noa Liberman
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Simon Yuan Wang
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Rivera NA, Brandt AL, Novakofski JE, Mateus-Pinilla NE. Chronic Wasting Disease In Cervids: Prevalence, Impact And Management Strategies. VETERINARY MEDICINE (AUCKLAND, N.Z.) 2019; 10:123-139. [PMID: 31632898 PMCID: PMC6778748 DOI: 10.2147/vmrr.s197404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects members of the cervidae family. The infectious agent is a misfolded isoform (PrPSC) of the host prion protein (PrPC). The replication of PrPSC initiates a cascade of developmental changes that spread from cell to cell, individual to individual, and that for some TSEs, has crossed the species barrier. CWD can be transmitted horizontally and vertically, and it is the only TSE that affects free-ranging wildlife. While other TSEs are under control and even declining, infection rates of CWD continue to grow and the disease distribution continues to expand in North America and around the world. Since the first reported case in 1967, CWD has spread infecting captive and free-ranging cervids in 26 states in the US, 3 Canadian provinces, 3 European countries and has been found in captive cervids in South Korea. CWD causes considerable ecologic, economic and sociologic impact, as this is a 100% fatal highly contagious infectious disease, with no treatment or cure available. Because some TSEs have crossed the species barrier, the zoonotic potential of CWD is a concern for human health and continues to be investigated. Here we review the characteristics of the CWD prion protein, mechanisms of transmission and the role of genetics. We discuss the characteristics that contribute to prevalence and distribution. We also discuss the impact of CWD and review the management strategies that have been used to prevent and control the spread of CWD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nelda A Rivera
- Illinois Natural History Survey-Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Adam L Brandt
- Division of Natural Sciences, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI, USA
| | - Jan E Novakofski
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Nohra E Mateus-Pinilla
- Illinois Natural History Survey-Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kim DH, Ren C, Ryou C, Li J. Direct interaction of DNMT inhibitors to PrP C suppresses pathogenic process of prion. Acta Pharm Sin B 2019; 9:952-959. [PMID: 31649845 PMCID: PMC6804459 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The conversion of the normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) to the misfolded pathogenic scrapie prion protein (PrPSc) is the biochemical hallmark of prion replication. So far, various chemical compounds that inhibit this conformational conversion have been identified. Here, we report the novel anti-prion activity of SGI-1027 and its meta/meta analogue (M/M), previously known only as potent inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). These compounds effectively decreased the level of PrPSc in cultured cells with permanent prion infection, without affecting PrPC at the transcriptional or translational levels. Furthermore, SGI-1027 prevented effective prion infection of the cells. In a PrP aggregation assay, both SGI-1027 and M/M blocked the formation of misfolded PrP aggregates, implying that binding of these compounds hinders the PrP conversion process. A series of binding and docking analyses demonstrated that both SGI-1027 and M/M directly interacted with the C-terminal globular domain of PrPC, but only SGI-1027 bound to a specific region of PrPC with high affinity, which correlates with its potent anti-prion efficacy. Therefore, we report SGI-1027 and related compounds as a novel class of potential anti-prion agents that preferentially function through direct interaction with PrPC.
Collapse
|
24
|
Manjrekar J, Shah H. Protein-based inheritance. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 97:138-155. [PMID: 31344459 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance have come to occupy a prominent place in our understanding of living systems, primarily eukaryotes. There has been considerable and lively discussion of the possible evolutionary significance of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. One particular type of epigenetic inheritance that has not figured much in general discussions is that based on conformational changes in proteins, where proteins with altered conformations can act as templates to propagate their own structure. An increasing number of such proteins - prions and prion-like - are being discovered. Phenotypes due to the structurally altered proteins are transmitted along with their structures. This review discusses the properties and implications of "classical" amyloid-forming prions, as well as the broader class of proteins with intrinsically disordered domains, which are proving to have fascinating properties that appear to play important roles in cell organisation and function, especially during stress responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Manjrekar
- Microbiology Department and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, 390002, India.
| | - Hiral Shah
- Microbiology Department and Biotechnology Centre, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, 390002, India
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Chronic Wasting Disease in Cervids: Implications for Prion Transmission to Humans and Other Animal Species. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01091-19. [PMID: 31337719 PMCID: PMC6650550 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01091-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion-related transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cervids, including deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer, and moose. CWD has been confirmed in at least 26 U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, South Korea, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, with a notable increase in the past 5 years. The continued geographic spread of this disease increases the frequency of exposure to CWD prions among cervids, humans, and other animal species. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion-related transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of cervids, including deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer, and moose. CWD has been confirmed in at least 26 U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, South Korea, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, with a notable increase in the past 5 years. The continued geographic spread of this disease increases the frequency of exposure to CWD prions among cervids, humans, and other animal species. Since CWD is now an established wildlife disease in North America, proactive steps, where possible, should be taken to limit transmission of CWD among animals and reduce the potential for human exposure.
Collapse
|
26
|
Won SY, Kim YC, Kim K, Kim AD, Jeong BH. The First Report of Polymorphisms and Genetic Features of the prion-like Protein Gene ( PRND) in a Prion Disease-Resistant Animal, Dog. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061404. [PMID: 30897750 PMCID: PMC6470729 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion disease has displayed large infection host ranges among several species; however, dogs have not been reported to be infected and are considered prion disease-resistant animals. Case-controlled studies in several species, including humans and cattle, indicated a potent association of prion protein gene (PRNP) polymorphisms in the progression of prion disease. Thus, because of the proximal location and similar structure of the PRNP gene among the prion gene family, the prion-like protein gene (PRND) was noted as a novel candidate gene that contributes to prion disease susceptibility. Several case-controlled studies have confirmed the relationship of the PRND gene with prion disease vulnerability, and strong genetic linkage disequilibrium blocks were identified in prion-susceptible species between the PRNP and PRND genes. However, to date, polymorphisms of the dog PRND gene have not been reported, and the genetic linkage between the PRNP and PRND genes has not been examined thus far. Here, we first investigated dog PRND polymorphisms in 207 dog DNA samples using direct DNA sequencing. A total of four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including one nonsynonymous SNP (c.149G>A, R50H), were identified in this study. We also found two major haplotypes among the four novel SNPs. In addition, we compared the genotype and allele frequencies of the c.149G>A (R50H) SNP and found significantly different distributions among eight dog breeds. Furthermore, we annotated the c.149G>A (R50H) SNP of the dog PRND gene using in silico tools, PolyPhen-2, PROVEAN, and PANTHER. Finally, we examined linkage disequilibrium between the PRNP and PRND genes in dogs. Interestingly, we did not find a strong genetic linkage between these two genes. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first genetic study of the PRND gene in a prion disease-resistant animal, a dog.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sae-Young Won
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54531, Korea.
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea.
| | - Yong-Chan Kim
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54531, Korea.
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea.
| | - Kiwon Kim
- Haemalken Animal Hospital, Yangju, Gyeonggi 11492, Korea.
| | - An-Dang Kim
- Cool-Pet Animal Hospital, Anyang, Gyeonggi 14066, Korea.
| | - Byung-Hoon Jeong
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54531, Korea.
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Rehbein P, Schwalbe H. Improved high-yield expression, purification and refolding of recombinant mammalian prion proteins under aerosol-free elevated biological safety conditions. Protein Expr Purif 2018; 150:53-60. [PMID: 29751084 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2018.04.018] [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: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Production of recombinant prion proteins is of crucial relevance in food technology (analytical standards, assay development) but also in basic research, most importantly structural biology (NMR, X-ray diffraction). Structural approaches conveniently allow for sophisticated investigation of prion disease pathogenesis, but usually require large amounts of sample material. Recently, working with recombinant prion proteins has been recategorized to biosafety levels > S1 as infectious prions may readily be generated de novo and become airborne via aerosols. Heterologous expression should therefore be established with appropriately adjusted safety precautions. We have developed a protocol for high-yield expression, purification and refolding of recombinant mammalian prion proteins at elevated biological safety levels by introducing means of abolishing aerosol formation and propagation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Rehbein
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center of Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Institute for Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center of Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abbott NJ, Pizzo ME, Preston JE, Janigro D, Thorne RG. The role of brain barriers in fluid movement in the CNS: is there a 'glymphatic' system? Acta Neuropathol 2018; 135:387-407. [PMID: 29428972 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1812-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Brain fluids are rigidly regulated to provide stable environments for neuronal function, e.g., low K+, Ca2+, and protein to optimise signalling and minimise neurotoxicity. At the same time, neuronal and astroglial waste must be promptly removed. The interstitial fluid (ISF) of the brain tissue and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathing the CNS are integral to this homeostasis and the idea of a glia-lymph or 'glymphatic' system for waste clearance from brain has developed over the last 5 years. This links bulk (convective) flow of CSF into brain along the outside of penetrating arteries, glia-mediated convective transport of fluid and solutes through the brain extracellular space (ECS) involving the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel, and finally delivery of fluid to venules for clearance along peri-venous spaces. However, recent evidence favours important amendments to the 'glymphatic' hypothesis, particularly concerning the role of glia and transfer of solutes within the ECS. This review discusses studies which question the role of AQP4 in ISF flow and the lack of evidence for its ability to transport solutes; summarizes attributes of brain ECS that strongly favour the diffusion of small and large molecules without ISF flow; discusses work on hydraulic conductivity and the nature of the extracellular matrix which may impede fluid movement; and reconsiders the roles of the perivascular space (PVS) in CSF-ISF exchange and drainage. We also consider the extent to which CSF-ISF exchange is possible and desirable, the impact of neuropathology on fluid drainage, and why using CSF as a proxy measure of brain components or drug delivery is problematic. We propose that new work and key historical studies both support the concept of a perivascular fluid system, whereby CSF enters the brain via PVS convective flow or dispersion along larger caliber arteries/arterioles, diffusion predominantly regulates CSF/ISF exchange at the level of the neurovascular unit associated with CNS microvessels, and, finally, a mixture of CSF/ISF/waste products is normally cleared along the PVS of venules/veins as well as other pathways; such a system may or may not constitute a true 'circulation', but, at the least, suggests a comprehensive re-evaluation of the previously proposed 'glymphatic' concepts in favour of a new system better taking into account basic cerebrovascular physiology and fluid transport considerations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Joan Abbott
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, Franklin Wilkins Building 3.82, 150 Stamford St, London, SE1 9NH, UK.
| | - Michelle E Pizzo
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI, USA
- Clinical Neuroengineering Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jane E Preston
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, Franklin Wilkins Building 3.82, 150 Stamford St, London, SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Damir Janigro
- Flocel Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Physiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Robert G Thorne
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI, USA.
- Clinical Neuroengineering Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- , 5113 Rennebohm Hall, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Sandberg A, Nyström S. Purification and Fibrillation of Recombinant Human Amyloid-β, Prion Protein, and Tau Under Native Conditions. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1779:147-166. [PMID: 29886532 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7816-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Protein misfolding, aggregation, and amyloid formation is involved in a large number of diseases. Recombinantly expressed proteins to study the amyloid fibril formation process are important for mechanistic studies. We here report protocols for production, purification, and fibrillation of three different proteins commonly found in cerebral amyloid; Aβ and Tau found in Alzheimer's disease, Chronic traumatic brain injury, Corticobasal degeneration, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and human prion protein found in Creutzfeldt-Jakob's disease. The three protocols have in common that the protein is in a pH-neutral phosphate saline buffer during fibrillation to mimic their endogenous near physiological environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Sandberg
- Chemistry, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sofie Nyström
- Chemistry, IFM-Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Harvey ZH, Chen Y, Jarosz DF. Protein-Based Inheritance: Epigenetics beyond the Chromosome. Mol Cell 2017; 69:195-202. [PMID: 29153393 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics refers to changes in phenotype that are not rooted in DNA sequence. This phenomenon has largely been studied in the context of chromatin modification. Yet many epigenetic traits are instead linked to self-perpetuating changes in the individual or collective activity of proteins. Most such proteins are prions (e.g., [PSI+], [URE3], [SWI+], [MOT3+], [MPH1+], [LSB+], and [GAR+]), which have the capacity to adopt at least one conformation that self-templates over long biological timescales. This allows them to serve as protein-based epigenetic elements that are readily broadcast through mitosis and meiosis. In some circumstances, self-templating can fuel disease, but it also permits access to multiple activity states from the same polypeptide and transmission of that information across generations. Ensuing phenotypic changes allow genetically identical cells to express diverse and frequently adaptive phenotypes. Although long thought to be rare, protein-based epigenetic inheritance has now been uncovered in all domains of life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary H Harvey
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yiwen Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel F Jarosz
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Afsar Minhas FUA, Ross ED, Ben-Hur A. Amino acid composition predicts prion activity. PLoS Comput Biol 2017; 13:e1005465. [PMID: 28394888 PMCID: PMC5402983 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many prion-forming proteins contain glutamine/asparagine (Q/N) rich domains, and there are conflicting opinions as to the role of primary sequence in their conversion to the prion form: is this phenomenon driven primarily by amino acid composition, or, as a recent computational analysis suggested, dependent on the presence of short sequence elements with high amyloid-forming potential. The argument for the importance of short sequence elements hinged on the relatively-high accuracy obtained using a method that utilizes a collection of length-six sequence elements with known amyloid-forming potential. We weigh in on this question and demonstrate that when those sequence elements are permuted, even higher accuracy is obtained; we also propose a novel multiple-instance machine learning method that uses sequence composition alone, and achieves better accuracy than all existing prion prediction approaches. While we expect there to be elements of primary sequence that affect the process, our experiments suggest that sequence composition alone is sufficient for predicting protein sequences that are likely to form prions. A web-server for the proposed method is available at http://faculty.pieas.edu.pk/fayyaz/prank.html, and the code for reproducing our experiments is available at http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.167136. The determinants of prion formation in proteins that are rich in glutamine and asparagine are still under debate: is the process driven by primary sequence or by amino acid composition? In 2015 Sabate et al. published a paper suggesting that the process is triggered by short amyloid-prone sequences. Their argument was based on the success of their pWALTZ classifier, which uses a database of short peptides with known amyloid forming propensities. To explore the validity of their argument we compared their original scoring matrices with shuffled scoring matrices, and found no decrease in accuracy, suggesting that the success of pWALTZ is the result of the ability of the scoring matrices to capture amino acid composition. Furthermore, we propose a novel machine learning approach with accuracy that is superior to all published prion prediction methods that are currently available, and uses sequence composition alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fayyaz ul Amir Afsar Minhas
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (FuAAM); (ABH)
| | - Eric D. Ross
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Asa Ben-Hur
- Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail: (FuAAM); (ABH)
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Marín-Moreno A, Espinosa JC, Fernández-Borges N, Píquer J, Girones R, Andreoletti O, Torres JM. An assessment of the long-term persistence of prion infectivity in aquatic environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 151:587-594. [PMID: 27591838 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The environment plays a key role in horizontal transmission of prion diseases, since prions are extremely resistant to classical inactivation procedures. In prior work, we observed the high stability of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infectivity when these prions were incubated in aqueous media such as phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or wastewater for nearly nine months. As a continuation of this experiment, the same samples were maintained in PBS or wastewater for five additional years and residual BSE infectivity was assessed in bovine PrPC transgenic mice. Over this long time period (more than six years), BSE infectivity was reduced by three and one orders of magnitude in wastewater and PBS respectively. To rule out a possible agent specific effect, sheep scrapie prions were subjected to the same experimental protocol, using eight years as the experimental end-point. No significant reduction in scrapie infectivity was observed over the first nine months of wastewater incubation while PBS incubation for eight years only produced a two logarithmic unit reduction in infectivity. By contrast, the dynamics of PrPRes persistence was different, disappearing progressively over the first year. The long persistence of prion infectivity observed in this study for two different agents provides supporting evidence of the assumed high stability of these agents in aquatic environments and that environmental processes or conventional wastewater treatments with low retention times would have little impact on prion infectivity. These results could have great repercussions in terms of risk assessment and safety for animals and human populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Marín-Moreno
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA, Carretera Algete-El Casar S/n, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan-Carlos Espinosa
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA, Carretera Algete-El Casar S/n, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Fernández-Borges
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA, Carretera Algete-El Casar S/n, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Píquer
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA, Carretera Algete-El Casar S/n, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosina Girones
- Department of Microbiology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivier Andreoletti
- UMR INRA-ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôte Agent Pathogène, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Juan-María Torres
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA-INIA, Carretera Algete-El Casar S/n, Valdeolmos, 28130 Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
MacLea KS. What Makes a Prion: Infectious Proteins From Animals to Yeast. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 329:227-276. [PMID: 28109329 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
While philosophers in ancient times had many ideas for the cause of contagion, the modern study of infective agents began with Fracastoro's 1546 proposal that invisible "spores" spread infectious disease. However, firm categorization of the pathogens of the natural world would need to await a mature germ theory that would not arise for 300 years. In the 19th century, the earliest pathogens described were bacteria and other cellular microbes. By the close of that century, the work of Ivanovsky and Beijerinck introduced the concept of a virus, an infective particle smaller than any known cell. Extending into the early-mid-20th century there was an explosive growth in pathogenic microbiology, with a cellular or viral cause identified for nearly every transmissible disease. A few occult pathogens remained to be discovered, including the infectious proteins (prions) proposed by Prusiner in 1982. This review discusses the prions identified in mammals, yeasts, and other organisms, focusing on the amyloid-based prions. I discuss the essential biochemical properties of these agents and the application of this knowledge to diseases of protein misfolding and aggregation, as well as the utility of yeast as a model organism to study prion and amyloid proteins that affect human and animal health. Further, I summarize the ideas emerging out of these studies that the prion concept may go beyond proteinaceous infectious particles and that prions may be a subset of proteins having general nucleating or seeding functions involved in noninfectious as well as infectious pathogenic protein aggregation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K S MacLea
- University of New Hampshire, Manchester, NH, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Eraña H, Venegas V, Moreno J, Castilla J. Prion-like disorders and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies: An overview of the mechanistic features that are shared by the various disease-related misfolded proteins. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 483:1125-1136. [PMID: 27590581 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.08.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases or Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting several mammalian species. Its causative agent, disease-associated prion protein (PrPd), is a self-propagating β-sheet rich aberrant conformation of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) with neurotoxic and aggregation-prone properties, capable of inducing misfolding of PrPC molecules. PrPd is the major constituent of prions and, most importantly, is the first known example of a protein with infectious attributes. It has been suggested that similar molecular mechanisms could be shared by other proteins implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or systemic amyloidoses. Accordingly, several terms have been proposed to collectively group all these disorders. Through the stringent evaluation of those aspects that characterise TSE-causing prions, in particular propagation and spread, strain variability or transmissibility, we will discuss whether terms such as "prion", "prion-like", "prionoid" or "propagon" can be used when referring to the aetiological agents of the above other disorders. Moreover, it will also be discussed whether the term "infectious", which defines a prion essential trait, is currently misused when referring to the other misfolded proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hasier Eraña
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Vanesa Venegas
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Jorge Moreno
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Joaquín Castilla
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48011, Bizkaia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|