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Eid S, Zhao W, Williams D, Nasser Z, Griffin J, Nagorny P, Schmitt-Ulms G. Update on a brain-penetrant cardiac glycoside that can lower cellular prion protein levels in human and guinea pig paradigms. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308821. [PMID: 39316592 PMCID: PMC11421771 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lowering the levels of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) is widely considered a promising strategy for the treatment of prion diseases. Building on work that established immediate spatial proximity of PrPC and Na+, K+-ATPases (NKAs) in the brain, we recently showed that PrPC levels can be reduced by targeting NKAs with their natural cardiac glycoside (CG) inhibitors. We then introduced C4'-dehydro-oleandrin as a CG with improved pharmacological properties for this indication, showing that it reduced PrPC levels by 84% in immortalized human cells that had been differentiated to acquire neural or astrocytic characteristics. Here we report that our lead compound caused cell surface PrPC levels to drop also in other human cell models, even when the analyses of whole cell lysates suggested otherwise. Because mice are refractory to CGs, we explored guinea pigs as an alternative rodent model for the preclinical evaluation of C4'-dehydro-oleandrin. We found that guinea pig cell lines, primary cells, and brain slices were responsive to our lead compound, albeit it at 30-fold higher concentrations than human cells. Of potential significance for other PrPC lowering approaches, we observed that cells attempted to compensate for the loss of cell surface PrPC levels by increasing the expression of the prion gene, requiring daily administration of C4'-dehydro-oleandrin for a sustained PrPC lowering effect. Regrettably, when administered systemically in vivo, the levels of C4'-dehydro-oleandrin that reached the guinea pig brain remained insufficient for the PrPC lowering effect to manifest. A more suitable preclinical model is still needed to determine if C4'-dehydro-oleandrin can offer a cost-effective complementary strategy for pushing PrPC levels below a threshold required for long-term prion disease survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehab Eid
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wenda Zhao
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Declan Williams
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zahra Nasser
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer Griffin
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pavel Nagorny
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Eid S, Lee S, Verkuyl CE, Almanza D, Hanna J, Shenouda S, Belotserkovsky A, Zhao W, Watts JC. The importance of prion research. Biochem Cell Biol 2024. [PMID: 38996387 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2024-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past four decades, prion diseases have received considerable research attention owing to their potential to be transmitted within and across species as well as their consequences for human and animal health. The unprecedented nature of prions has led to the discovery of a paradigm of templated protein misfolding that underlies a diverse range of both disease-related and normal biological processes. Indeed, the "prion-like" misfolding and propagation of protein aggregates is now recognized as a common underlying disease mechanism in human neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and the prion principle has led to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these illnesses. Despite these advances, research into the fundamental biology of prion diseases has declined, likely due to their rarity and the absence of an acute human health crisis. Given the past translational influence, continued research on the etiology, pathogenesis, and transmission of prion disease should remain a priority. In this review, we highlight several important "unsolved mysteries" in the prion disease research field and how solving them may be crucial for the development of effective therapeutics, preventing future outbreaks of prion disease, and understanding the pathobiology of more common human neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehab Eid
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Seojin Lee
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claire E Verkuyl
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dustin Almanza
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph Hanna
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sandra Shenouda
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ari Belotserkovsky
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wenda Zhao
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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3
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Neumann EN, Bertozzi TM, Wu E, Serack F, Harvey JW, Brauer PP, Pirtle CP, Coffey A, Howard M, Kamath N, Lenz K, Guzman K, Raymond MH, Khalil AS, Deverman BE, Minikel EV, Vallabh SM, Weissman JS. Brainwide silencing of prion protein by AAV-mediated delivery of an engineered compact epigenetic editor. Science 2024; 384:ado7082. [PMID: 38935715 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado7082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Prion disease is caused by misfolding of the prion protein (PrP) into pathogenic self-propagating conformations, leading to rapid-onset dementia and death. However, elimination of endogenous PrP halts prion disease progression. In this study, we describe Coupled Histone tail for Autoinhibition Release of Methyltransferase (CHARM), a compact, enzyme-free epigenetic editor capable of silencing transcription through programmable DNA methylation. Using a histone H3 tail-Dnmt3l fusion, CHARM recruits and activates endogenous DNA methyltransferases, thereby reducing transgene size and cytotoxicity. When delivered to the mouse brain by systemic injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV), Prnp-targeted CHARM ablates PrP expression across the brain. Furthermore, we have temporally limited editor expression by implementing a kinetically tuned self-silencing approach. CHARM potentially represents a broadly applicable strategy to suppress pathogenic proteins, including those implicated in other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin N Neumann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tessa M Bertozzi
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Elaine Wu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Fiona Serack
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John W Harvey
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Pamela P Brauer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Catherine P Pirtle
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Alissa Coffey
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Michael Howard
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Nikita Kamath
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kenney Lenz
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kenia Guzman
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Michael H Raymond
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin E Deverman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- McCance Center for Brain Health and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sonia M Vallabh
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- McCance Center for Brain Health and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jonathan S Weissman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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4
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Zerr I, Ladogana A, Mead S, Hermann P, Forloni G, Appleby BS. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other prion diseases. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2024; 10:14. [PMID: 38424082 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-024-00497-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Prion diseases share common clinical and pathological characteristics such as spongiform neuronal degeneration and deposition of an abnormal form of a host-derived protein, termed prion protein. The characteristic features of prion diseases are long incubation times, short clinical courses, extreme resistance of the transmissible agent to degradation and lack of nucleic acid involvement. Sporadic and genetic forms of prion diseases occur worldwide, of which genetic forms are associated with mutations in PRNP. Human to human transmission of these diseases has occurred due to iatrogenic exposure, and zoonotic forms of prion diseases are linked to bovine disease. Significant progress has been made in the diagnosis of these disorders. Clinical tools for diagnosis comprise brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid tests. Aggregation assays for detection of the abnormally folded prion protein have a clear potential to diagnose the disease in peripherally accessible biofluids. After decades of therapeutic nihilism, new treatment strategies and clinical trials are on the horizon. Although prion diseases are relatively rare disorders, understanding their pathogenesis and mechanisms of prion protein misfolding has significantly enhanced the field in research of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Zerr
- National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Anna Ladogana
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Peter Hermann
- National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gianluigi Forloni
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Brian S Appleby
- Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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5
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Jaffré N, Delmotte J, Mikol J, Deslys JP, Comoy E. Unexpected decrease of full-length prion protein in macaques inoculated with prion-contaminated blood products. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1164779. [PMID: 37214335 PMCID: PMC10196267 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1164779] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of prion infectivity in the blood of patients affected by variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (v-CJD), the human prion disease linked to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), poses the risk of inter-human transmission of this fatal prion disease through transfusion. In the frame of various experiments, we have previously described that several cynomolgus macaques experimentally exposed to prion-contaminated blood products developed c-BSE/v-CJD, but the vast majority of them developed an unexpected, fatal disease phenotype focused on spinal cord involvement, which does not fulfill the classical diagnostic criteria of v-CJD. Here, we show that extensive analyses with current conventional techniques failed to detect any accumulation of abnormal prion protein (PrPv-CJD) in the CNS of these myelopathic animals, i.e., the biomarker considered responsible for neuronal death and subsequent clinical signs in prion diseases. Conversely, in the spinal cord of these myelopathic primates, we observed an alteration of their physiological cellular PrP pattern: PrP was not detectable under its full-length classical expression but mainly under its physiological terminal-truncated C1 fragment. This observed disappearance of the N-terminal fragment of cellular PrP at the level of the lesions may provide the first experimental evidence of a link between loss of function of the cellular prion protein and disease onset. This original prion-induced myelopathic syndrome suggests an unexpected wide extension in the field of prion diseases that is so far limited to pathologies associated with abnormal changes of the cellular PrP to highly structured conformations.
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Huntingtin and Other Neurodegeneration-Associated Proteins in the Development of Intracellular Pathologies: Potential Target Search for Therapeutic Intervention. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415533. [PMID: 36555175 PMCID: PMC9779313 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are currently incurable. Numerous experimental data accumulated over the past fifty years have brought us closer to understanding the molecular and cell mechanisms responsible for their development. However, these data are not enough for a complete understanding of the genesis of these diseases, nor to suggest treatment methods. It turns out that many cellular pathologies developing during neurodegeneration coincide from disease to disease. These observations give hope to finding a common intracellular target(s) and to offering a universal method of treatment. In this review, we attempt to analyze data on similar cellular disorders among neurodegenerative diseases in general, and polyglutamine neurodegenerative diseases in particular, focusing on the interaction of various proteins involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases with various cellular organelles. The main purposes of this review are: (1) to outline the spectrum of common intracellular pathologies and to answer the question of whether it is possible to find potential universal target(s) for therapeutic intervention; (2) to identify specific intracellular pathologies and to speculate about a possible general approach for their treatment.
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7
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Grimaldi I, Leser FS, Janeiro JM, da Rosa BG, Campanelli AC, Romão L, Lima FRS. The multiple functions of PrP C in physiological, cancer, and neurodegenerative contexts. J Mol Med (Berl) 2022; 100:1405-1425. [PMID: 36056255 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-022-02245-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a highly conserved glycoprotein, present both anchored in the cell membrane and soluble in the extracellular medium. It has a diversity of ligands and is variably expressed in numerous tissues and cell subtypes, most notably in the central nervous system (CNS). Its importance has been brought to light over the years both under physiological conditions, such as embryogenesis and immune system homeostasis, and in pathologies, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. During development, PrPC plays an important role in CNS, participating in axonal growth and guidance and differentiation of glial cells, but also in other organs such as the heart, lung, and digestive system. In diseases, PrPC has been related to several types of tumors, modulating cancer stem cells, enhancing malignant properties, and inducing drug resistance. Also, in non-neoplastic diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, PrPC seems to alter the dynamics of neurotoxic aggregate formation and, consequently, the progression of the disease. In this review, we explore in detail the multiple functions of this protein, which proved to be relevant for understanding the dynamics of organism homeostasis, as well as a promising target in the treatment of both neoplastic and degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabella Grimaldi
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Felipe Saceanu Leser
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Marcos Janeiro
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Gomes da Rosa
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ana Clara Campanelli
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana Romão
- Cell Morphogenesis Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Flavia Regina Souza Lima
- Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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8
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Cahalan SD, Boehm I, Jones RA, Piercy RJ. Recognising the potential of large animals for modelling neuromuscular junction physiology and disease. J Anat 2022; 241:1120-1132. [PMID: 36056593 PMCID: PMC9558152 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The aetiology and pathophysiology of many diseases of the motor unit remain poorly understood and the role of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in this group of disorders is particularly overlooked, especially in humans, when these diseases are comparatively rare. However, elucidating the development, function and degeneration of the NMJ is essential to uncover its contribution to neuromuscular disorders, and to explore potential therapeutic avenues to treat these devastating diseases. Until now, an understanding of the role of the NMJ in disease pathogenesis has been hindered by inherent differences between rodent and human NMJs: stark contrasts in body size and corresponding differences in associated axon length underpin some of the translational issues in animal models of neuromuscular disease. Comparative studies in large mammalian models, including examination of naturally occurring, highly prevalent animal diseases and evaluation of their treatment, might provide more relevant insights into the pathogenesis and therapy of equivalent human diseases. This review argues that large animal models offer great potential to enhance our understanding of the neuromuscular system in health and disease, and in particular, when dealing with diseases for which nerve length dependency might underly the pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D Cahalan
- Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Ines Boehm
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Biozentrum University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ross A Jones
- Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Richard J Piercy
- Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK
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9
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Castle AR, Wohlgemuth S, Arce L, Westaway D. Investigating CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive for production of disease-preventing prion gene alleles. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269342. [PMID: 35671288 PMCID: PMC9173614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that includes chronic wasting disease, which affects cervids and is highly transmissible. Given that chronic wasting disease prevalence exceeds 30% in some endemic areas of North America, and that eventual transmission to other mammalian species, potentially including humans, cannot be ruled out, novel control strategies beyond population management via hunting and/or culling must be investigated. Prion diseases depend upon post-translational conversion of the cellular prion protein, encoded by the Prnp gene, into a disease-associated conformation; ablation of cellular prion protein expression, which is generally well-tolerated, eliminates prion disease susceptibility entirely. Inspired by demonstrations of gene drive in caged mosquito species, we aimed to test whether a CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive mechanism could, in principle, promote the spread of a null Prnp allele among mammalian populations. First, we showed that transient co-expression of Cas9 and Prnp-directed guide RNAs in RK13 cells generates indels within the Prnp open-reading frame, indicating that repair of Cas9-induced double-strand breaks by non-homologous end-joining had taken place. Second, we integrated a ~1.2 kb donor DNA sequence into the Prnp open-reading frame in N2a cells by homology-directed repair following Cas9-induced cleavages and confirmed that integration occurred precisely in most cases. Third, we demonstrated that electroporation of Cas9/guide RNA ribonucleoprotein complexes into fertilised mouse oocytes resulted in pups with a variety of disruptions to the Prnp open reading frame, with a new coisogenic line of Prnp-null mice obtained as part of this work. However, a technical challenge in obtaining expression of Cas9 in the male germline prevented implementation of a complete gene drive mechanism in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R. Castle
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Serene Wohlgemuth
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Luis Arce
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David Westaway
- Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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10
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Simensen V, Schulz C, Karlsen E, Bråtelund S, Burgos I, Thorfinnsdottir LB, García-Calvo L, Bruheim P, Almaas E. Experimental determination of Escherichia coli biomass composition for constraint-based metabolic modeling. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262450. [PMID: 35085271 PMCID: PMC8794083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) are mathematical representations of metabolism that allow for in silico simulation of metabolic phenotypes and capabilities. A prerequisite for these predictions is an accurate representation of the biomolecular composition of the cell necessary for replication and growth, implemented in GEMs as the so-called biomass objective function (BOF). The BOF contains the metabolic precursors required for synthesis of the cellular macro- and micromolecular constituents (e.g. protein, RNA, DNA), and its composition is highly dependent on the particular organism, strain, and growth condition. Despite its critical role, the BOF is rarely constructed using specific measurements of the modeled organism, drawing the validity of this approach into question. Thus, there is a need to establish robust and reliable protocols for experimental condition-specific biomass determination. Here, we address this challenge by presenting a general pipeline for biomass quantification, evaluating its performance on Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 sampled during balanced exponential growth under controlled conditions in a batch-fermentor set-up. We significantly improve both the coverage and molecular resolution compared to previously published workflows, quantifying 91.6% of the biomass. Our measurements display great correspondence with previously reported measurements, and we were also able to detect subtle characteristics specific to the particular E. coli strain. Using the modified E. coli GEM iML1515a, we compare the feasible flux ranges of our experimentally determined BOF with the original BOF, finding that the changes in BOF coefficients considerably affect the attainable fluxes at the genome-scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vetle Simensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christian Schulz
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emil Karlsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Signe Bråtelund
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Idun Burgos
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lilja Brekke Thorfinnsdottir
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Laura García-Calvo
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per Bruheim
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eivind Almaas
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology Department of Public Health and General Practice, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- * E-mail:
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11
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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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12
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Hultman J, Jäderlund KH, Moe L, Espenes A, Skedsmo FS. Tongue atrophy as a neurological finding in hereditary polyneuropathy in Alaskan malamutes. J Vet Intern Med 2022; 36:672-678. [PMID: 35019187 PMCID: PMC8965254 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tongue atrophy with wrinkling as a clinical sign of inherited polyneuropathies has not been reported in dogs. Objectives Clinically describe tongue atrophy as well as morphology of the tongue and hypoglossal nerve in Alaskan malamute polyneuropathy (AMPN). Animals Six client‐owned Alaskan malamute dogs diagnosed with AMPN, all homozygous for the causative mutation in the N‐myc downstream‐regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) and 1 neurologically normal control Alaskan malamute. Methods Prospective case study. Clinical and neurological examinations were performed on affected dogs. Necropsy samples from the tongue muscle and hypoglossal nerve were examined by light and electron microscopy. Results All affected dogs had abnormal wrinkles and grooves on the dorsal surface of the tongue, a clinical sign not described previously in dogs with AMPN. Electromyography of the tongue performed in 2 dogs showed spontaneous activity. Five affected dogs underwent necropsy studies. Histopathology of the tongue showed groups of angular atrophic myofibers and changes in the hypoglossal nerve included thinly myelinated fibers, small onion bulbs, folded myelin, and axonal degeneration. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Histopathologic changes in the tongue and hypoglossal nerve were consistent with previously reported changes in skeletal muscle and other nerves from dogs with AMPN. Therefore, we conclude that macroscopic tongue atrophy is part of the disease phenotype of AMPN and should be considered a potential clinical sign in dogs with polyneuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Hultman
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Karin H Jäderlund
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Lars Moe
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Arild Espenes
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Fredrik S Skedsmo
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.,Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Tranulis MA, Gavier-Widén D, Våge J, Nöremark M, Korpenfelt SL, Hautaniemi M, Pirisinu L, Nonno R, Benestad SL. Chronic wasting disease in Europe: new strains on the horizon. Acta Vet Scand 2021; 63:48. [PMID: 34823556 PMCID: PMC8613970 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-021-00606-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders with known natural occurrence in humans and a few other mammalian species. The diseases are experimentally transmissible, and the agent is derived from the host-encoded cellular prion protein (PrPC), which is misfolded into a pathogenic conformer, designated PrPSc (scrapie). Aggregates of PrPSc molecules, constitute proteinaceous infectious particles, known as prions. Classical scrapie in sheep and goats and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids are known to be infectious under natural conditions. In CWD, infected animals can shed prions via bodily excretions, allowing direct host-to-host transmission or indirectly via prion-contaminated environments. The robustness of prions means that transmission via the latter route can be highly successful and has meant that limiting the spread of CWD has proven difficult. In 2016, CWD was diagnosed for the first time in Europe, in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and European moose (Alces alces). Both were diagnosed in Norway, and, subsequently, more cases were detected in a semi-isolated wild reindeer population in the Nordfjella area, in which the first case was identified. This population was culled, and all reindeer (approximately 2400) were tested for CWD; 18 positive animals, in addition to the first diagnosed case, were found. After two years and around 25,900 negative tests from reindeer (about 6500 from wild and 19,400 from semi-domesticated) in Norway, a new case was diagnosed in a wild reindeer buck on Hardangervidda, south of the Nordfjella area, in 2020. Further cases of CWD were also identified in moose, with a total of eight in Norway, four in Sweden, and two cases in Finland. The mean age of these cases is 14.7 years, and the pathological features are different from North American CWD and from the Norwegian reindeer cases, resembling atypical prion diseases such as Nor98/atypical scrapie and H- and L-forms of BSE. In this review, these moose cases are referred to as atypical CWD. In addition, two cases were diagnosed in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Norway. The emergence of CWD in Europe is a threat to European cervid populations, and, potentially, a food-safety challenge, calling for a swift, evidence-based response. Here, we review data on surveillance, epidemiology, and disease characteristics, including prion strain features of the newly identified European CWD agents.
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14
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Prion Protein Biology Through the Lens of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167368. [PMID: 34808226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Conformational conversion of the α-helix-rich cellular prion protein into the misfolded, β-rich, aggregated, scrapie form underlies the molecular basis of prion diseases that represent a class of invariably fatal, untreatable, and transmissible neurodegenerative diseases. However, despite the extensive and rigorous research, there is a significant gap in the understanding of molecular mechanisms that contribute to prion pathogenesis. In this review, we describe the historical perspective of the development of the prion concept and the current state of knowledge of prion biology including structural, molecular, and cellular aspects of the prion protein. We then summarize the putative functional role of the N-terminal intrinsically disordered segment of the prion protein. We next describe the ongoing efforts in elucidating the prion phase behavior and the emerging role of liquid-liquid phase separation that can have potential functional relevance and can offer an alternate non-canonical pathway involving conformational conversion into a disease-associated form. We also attempt to shed light on the evolutionary perspective of the prion protein highlighting the potential role of intrinsic disorder in prion protein biology and summarize a few important questions associated with the phase transitions of the prion protein. Delving deeper into these key aspects can pave the way for a detailed understanding of the critical molecular determinants of the prion phase transition and its relevance to physiology and neurodegenerative diseases.
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15
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Dexter E, Kong Q. Neuroprotective effect and potential of cellular prion protein and its cleavage products for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders part I. a literature review. Expert Rev Neurother 2021; 21:969-982. [PMID: 34470561 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2021.1965881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is well known for its pathogenic roles in prion diseases, several other neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease), and multiple types of cancer, but the beneficial aspects of PrPC and its cleavage products received much less attention. AREAS COVERED Here the authors will systematically review the literatures on the negative as well as protective aspects of PrPC and its derivatives (especially PrP N-terminal N1 peptide and shed PrP). The authors will dissect the current findings on N1 and shed PrP, including evidence for their neuroprotective effects, the categories of PrPC cleavage, and numerous cleavage enzymes involved. The authors will also discuss the protective effects and therapeutic potentials of PrPC-rich exosomes. The cited articles were obtained from extensive PubMed searches of recent literature, including peer-reviewed original articles and review articles. EXPERT OPINION PrP and its N-terminal fragments have strong neuroprotective activities that should be explored for therapeutics and prophylactics development against prion disease, Alzheimer's disease and a few other neurodegenerative diseases. The strategies to develop PrP-based therapeutics and prophylactics for these neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed in a companion article (Part II).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Dexter
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Qingzhong Kong
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
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16
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Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into scrapie prion protein (PrPSc). As the main component of prion, PrPSc acts as an infectious template that recruits and converts normal cellular PrPC into its pathogenic, misfolded isoform. Intriguingly, the phenomenon of prionoid, or prion-like, spread has also been observed in many other disease-associated proteins, such as amyloid β (Aβ), tau and α-synuclein. This Cell Science at a Glance and the accompanying poster highlight recently described physiological roles of prion protein and the advanced understanding of pathogenesis of prion disease they have afforded. Importantly, prion protein may also be involved in the pathogenesis of other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Therapeutic studies of prion disease have also exploited novel strategies to combat these devastating diseases. Future studies on prion protein and prion disease will deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caihong Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, CH-8091, Switzerland
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17
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Polido SA, Kamps J, Tatzelt J. Biological Functions of the Intrinsically Disordered N-Terminal Domain of the Prion Protein: A Possible Role of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1201. [PMID: 34439867 PMCID: PMC8391301 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian prion protein (PrPC) is composed of a large intrinsically disordered N-terminal and a structured C-terminal domain, containing three alpha-helical regions and a short, two-stranded beta-sheet. Traditionally, the activity of a protein was linked to the ability of the polypeptide chain to adopt a stable secondary/tertiary structure. This concept has been extended when it became evident that intrinsically disordered domains (IDDs) can participate in a broad range of defined physiological activities and play a major functional role in several protein classes including transcription factors, scaffold proteins, and signaling molecules. This ability of IDDs to engage in a variety of supramolecular complexes may explain the large number of PrPC-interacting proteins described. Here, we summarize diverse physiological and pathophysiological activities that have been described for the unstructured N-terminal domain of PrPC. In particular, we focus on subdomains that have been conserved in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella A. Polido
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
| | - Janine Kamps
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (S.A.P.); (J.K.)
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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18
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Bartosova Z, Gonzalez SV, Voigt A, Bruheim P. High Throughput Semiquantitative UHPSFC-MS/MS Lipid Profiling and Lipid Class Determination. J Chromatogr Sci 2021; 59:670-680. [PMID: 33479755 PMCID: PMC8217741 DOI: 10.1093/chromsci/bmaa121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
High throughput and high-resolution lipid analyses are important for many biological model systems and research questions. This comprises both monitoring at the individual lipid species level and broad lipid classes. Here, we present a nontarget semiquantitative lipidomics workflow based on ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC)-mass spectrometry (MS). The optimized chromatographic conditions enable the base-line separation of both nonpolar and polar classes in a single 7-minute run. Ionization efficiencies of lipid classes vary 10folds in magnitude and great care must be taken in a direct interpretation of raw data. Therefore, the inclusion of internal standards or experimentally determined Response factors (RF) are highly recommended for the conversion of raw abundances into (semi) quantitative data. We have deliberately developed an algorithm for automatic semiquantification of lipid classes by RF. The workflow was tested and validated using a bovine liver extract with satisfactory results. The RF corrected data provide a more representative relative lipid class determination, but also the interpretation of individual lipid species should be performed on RF corrected data. In addition, semiquantification can be improved by using internal or also external standards when more accurate quantitative data are of interest but this requires validation for all new sample types. The workflow established greatly extends the potential of nontarget UHPSFC–MS/MS based analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdenka Bartosova
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6/8, N-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Susana Villa Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - André Voigt
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6/8, N-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Per Bruheim
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6/8, N-7491 Trondheim Norway
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19
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Schmitt-Ulms G, Mehrabian M, Williams D, Ehsani S. The IDIP framework for assessing protein function and its application to the prion protein. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1907-1932. [PMID: 33960099 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The quest to determine the function of a protein can represent a profound challenge. Although this task is the mandate of countless research groups, a general framework for how it can be approached is conspicuously lacking. Moreover, even expectations for when the function of a protein can be considered to be 'known' are not well defined. In this review, we begin by introducing concepts pertinent to the challenge of protein function assignments. We then propose a framework for inferring a protein's function from four data categories: 'inheritance', 'distribution', 'interactions' and 'phenotypes' (IDIP). We document that the functions of proteins emerge at the intersection of inferences drawn from these data categories and emphasise the benefit of considering them in an evolutionary context. We then apply this approach to the cellular prion protein (PrPC ), well known for its central role in prion diseases, whose function continues to be considered elusive by many investigators. We document that available data converge on the conclusion that the function of the prion protein is to control a critical post-translational modification of the neural cell adhesion molecule in the context of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and related plasticity programmes. Finally, we argue that this proposed function of PrPC has already passed the test of time and is concordant with the IDIP framework in a way that other functions considered for this protein fail to achieve. We anticipate that the IDIP framework and the concepts analysed herein will aid the investigation of other proteins whose primary functional assignments have thus far been intractable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | | | - Declan Williams
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Sepehr Ehsani
- Theoretical and Philosophical Biology, Department of Philosophy, University College London, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K.,Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship, Montclair, NJ, 07043, U.S.A
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20
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Alvites RD, Branquinho MV, Sousa AC, Lopes B, Sousa P, Mendonça C, Atayde LM, Maurício AC. Small Ruminants and Its Use in Regenerative Medicine: Recent Works and Future Perspectives. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10030249. [PMID: 33810087 PMCID: PMC8004958 DOI: 10.3390/biology10030249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Small ruminants such as sheep and goats have been increasingly used as animal models due to their dimensions, physiology and anatomy identical to those of humans. Their low costs, ease of accommodation, great longevity and easy handling make them advantageous animals to be used in a wide range of research work. Although there is already a lot of scientific literature describing these species, their use still lacks some standardization. The purpose of this review is to summarize the general principles related to the use of small ruminants as animal models for scientific research. Abstract Medical and translational scientific research requires the use of animal models as an initial approach to the study of new therapies and treatments, but when the objective is an exploration of translational potentialities, classical models fail to adequately mimic problems in humans. Among the larger animal models that have been explored more intensely in recent decades, small ruminants, namely sheep and goats, have emerged as excellent options. The main advantages associated to the use of these animals in research works are related to their anatomy and dimensions, larger than conventional laboratory animals, but very similar to those of humans in most physiological systems, in addition to their low maintenance and feeding costs, tendency to be docile, long life expectancies and few ethical complications raised in society. The most obvious disadvantages are the significant differences in some systems such as the gastrointestinal, and the reduced amount of data that limits the comparison between works and the validation of the characterization essays. Despite everything, recently these species have been increasingly used as animal models for diseases in different systems, and the results obtained open doors for their more frequent and advantageous use in the future. The purpose of this review is to summarize the general principles related to the use of small ruminants as animal models, with a focus on regenerative medicine, to group the most relevant works and results published recently and to highlight the potentials for the near future in medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Damásio Alvites
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Vieira Branquinho
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Sousa
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Bruna Lopes
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Sousa
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla Mendonça
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Miguel Atayde
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Colette Maurício
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente (ICETA) da Universidade do Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal; (R.D.A.); (M.V.B.); (A.C.S.); (B.L.); (P.S.); (C.M.); (L.M.A.)
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-919-071-286 or +351-220-428-000
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21
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Classical and Atypical Scrapie in Sheep and Goats. Review on the Etiology, Genetic Factors, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Control Measures of Both Diseases. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030691. [PMID: 33806658 PMCID: PMC7999988 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, such as scrapie, are neurodegenerative diseases with a fatal outcome, caused by a conformational change of the cellular prion protein (PrPC), originating with the pathogenic form (PrPSc). Classical scrapie in small ruminants is the paradigm of prion diseases, as it was the first transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) described and is the most studied. It is necessary to understand the etiological properties, the relevance of the transmission pathways, the infectivity of the tissues, and how we can improve the detection of the prion protein to encourage detection of the disease. The aim of this review is to perform an overview of classical and atypical scrapie disease in sheep and goats, detailing those special issues of the disease, such as genetic factors, diagnostic procedures, and surveillance approaches carried out in the European Union with the objective of controlling the dissemination of scrapie disease.
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Skedsmo FS, Espenes A, Tranulis MA. Prion protein in myelin maintenance: what does the goat say? Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:1216-1217. [PMID: 33269783 PMCID: PMC8224112 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.300444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik S Skedsmo
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arild Espenes
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael A Tranulis
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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23
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Skedsmo FS, Espenes A, Tranulis MA, Matiasek K, Gunnes G, Bjerkås I, Moe L, Røed SS, Berendt M, Fredholm M, Rohdin C, Shelton GD, Bruheim P, Stafsnes MH, Bartosova Z, Hermansen LC, Stigen Ø, Jäderlund KH. Impaired NDRG1 functions in Schwann cells cause demyelinating neuropathy in a dog model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 4D. Neuromuscul Disord 2020; 31:56-68. [PMID: 33334662 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) cause degenerative polyneuropathy in ways that are poorly understood. We have investigated Alaskan Malamute dogs with neuropathy caused by a missense mutation in NDRG1. In affected animals, nerve levels of NDRG1 protein were reduced by more than 70% (p< 0.03). Nerve fibers were thinly myelinated, loss of large myelinated fibers was pronounced and teased fiber preparations showed both demyelination and remyelination. Inclusions of filamentous material containing actin were present in adaxonal Schwann cell cytoplasm and Schmidt-Lanterman clefts. This condition strongly resembles the human Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 4D. However, the focally folded myelin with adaxonal infoldings segregating the axon found in this study are ultrastructural changes not described in the human disease. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis revealed a profound loss of peripheral nerve lipids. Our data suggest that the low levels of mutant NDRG1 is insufficient to support Schwann cells in maintaining myelin homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik S Skedsmo
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Arild Espenes
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael A Tranulis
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kaspar Matiasek
- Section of Clinical & Comparative Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Veterinärstr. 13, D-80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Gjermund Gunnes
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Inge Bjerkås
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Moe
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Susan Skogtvedt Røed
- Department of Preclinical Sciences and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Mette Berendt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 16, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Merete Fredholm
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 2, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Cecilia Rohdin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Ultunaalléen 5A, 756 51 Uppsala, Sweden; Anicura Albano Small Animal Hospital, Rinkebyvägen 21, 182 36 Danderyd, Sweden
| | - G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093-0709, United States of America
| | - Per Bruheim
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marit H Stafsnes
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Zdenka Bartosova
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Sem Sælands vei 6, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lene C Hermansen
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Øyvind Stigen
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
| | - Karin H Jäderlund
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ullevålsveien 72, 0454 Oslo, Norway
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Soluble dimeric prion protein ligand activates Adgrg6 receptor but does not rescue early signs of demyelination in PrP-deficient mice. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242137. [PMID: 33180885 PMCID: PMC7660510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The adhesion G-protein coupled receptor Adgrg6 (formerly Gpr126) is instrumental in the development, maintenance and repair of peripheral nervous system myelin. The prion protein (PrP) is a potent activator of Adgrg6 and could be used as a potential therapeutic agent in treating peripheral demyelinating and dysmyelinating diseases. We designed a dimeric Fc-fusion protein comprising the myelinotrophic domain of PrP (FT2Fc), which activated Adgrg6 in vitro and exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic properties for in vivo treatment of peripheral neuropathies. While chronic FT2Fc treatment elicited specific transcriptomic changes in the sciatic nerves of PrP knockout mice, no amelioration of the early molecular signs demyelination was detected. Instead, RNA sequencing of sciatic nerves revealed downregulation of cytoskeletal and sarcomere genes, akin to the gene expression changes seen in myopathic skeletal muscle of PrP overexpressing mice. These results call for caution when devising myelinotrophic therapies based on PrP-derived Adgrg6 ligands. While our treatment approach was not successful, Adgrg6 remains an attractive therapeutic target to be addressed in other disease models or by using different biologically active Adgrg6 ligands.
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Minikel EV, Zhao HT, Le J, O'Moore J, Pitstick R, Graffam S, Carlson GA, Kavanaugh MP, Kriz J, Kim JB, Ma J, Wille H, Aiken J, McKenzie D, Doh-Ura K, Beck M, O'Keefe R, Stathopoulos J, Caron T, Schreiber SL, Carroll JB, Kordasiewicz HB, Cabin DE, Vallabh SM. Prion protein lowering is a disease-modifying therapy across prion disease stages, strains and endpoints. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10615-10631. [PMID: 32776089 PMCID: PMC7641729 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lowering of prion protein (PrP) expression in the brain is a genetically validated therapeutic hypothesis in prion disease. We recently showed that antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated PrP suppression extends survival and delays disease onset in intracerebrally prion-infected mice in both prophylactic and delayed dosing paradigms. Here, we examine the efficacy of this therapeutic approach across diverse paradigms, varying the dose and dosing regimen, prion strain, treatment timepoint, and examining symptomatic, survival, and biomarker readouts. We recapitulate our previous findings with additional PrP-targeting ASOs, and demonstrate therapeutic benefit against four additional prion strains. We demonstrate that <25% PrP suppression is sufficient to extend survival and delay symptoms in a prophylactic paradigm. Rise in both neuroinflammation and neuronal injury markers can be reversed by a single dose of PrP-lowering ASO administered after the detection of pathological change. Chronic ASO-mediated suppression of PrP beginning at any time up to early signs of neuropathology confers benefit similar to constitutive heterozygous PrP knockout. Remarkably, even after emergence of frank symptoms including weight loss, a single treatment prolongs survival by months in a subset of animals. These results support ASO-mediated PrP lowering, and PrP-lowering therapeutics in general, as a promising path forward against prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hien T Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Jason Le
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jill O'Moore
- McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT 59405, USA
| | - Rose Pitstick
- McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT 59405, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jasna Kriz
- Cervo Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | | | - Jiyan Ma
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Holger Wille
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Judd Aiken
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
| | | | - Katsumi Doh-Ura
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Matthew Beck
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rhonda O'Keefe
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Tyler Caron
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sonia M Vallabh
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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26
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Jones E, Hummerich H, Viré E, Uphill J, Dimitriadis A, Speedy H, Campbell T, Norsworthy P, Quinn L, Whitfield J, Linehan J, Jaunmuktane Z, Brandner S, Jat P, Nihat A, How Mok T, Ahmed P, Collins S, Stehmann C, Sarros S, Kovacs GG, Geschwind MD, Golubjatnikov A, Frontzek K, Budka H, Aguzzi A, Karamujić-Čomić H, van der Lee SJ, Ibrahim-Verbaas CA, van Duijn CM, Sikorska B, Golanska E, Liberski PP, Calero M, Calero O, Sanchez-Juan P, Salas A, Martinón-Torres F, Bouaziz-Amar E, Haïk S, Laplanche JL, Brandel JP, Amouyel P, Lambert JC, Parchi P, Bartoletti-Stella A, Capellari S, Poleggi A, Ladogana A, Pocchiari M, Aneli S, Matullo G, Knight R, Zafar S, Zerr I, Booth S, Coulthart MB, Jansen GH, Glisic K, Blevins J, Gambetti P, Safar J, Appleby B, Collinge J, Mead S. Identification of novel risk loci and causal insights for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: a genome-wide association study. Lancet Neurol 2020; 19:840-848. [PMID: 32949544 PMCID: PMC8220892 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(20)30273-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human prion diseases are rare and usually rapidly fatal neurodegenerative disorders, the most common being sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). Variants in the PRNP gene that encodes prion protein are strong risk factors for sCJD but, although the condition has similar heritability to other neurodegenerative disorders, no other genetic risk loci have been confirmed. We aimed to discover new genetic risk factors for sCJD, and their causal mechanisms. METHODS We did a genome-wide association study of sCJD in European ancestry populations (patients diagnosed with probable or definite sCJD identified at national CJD referral centres) with a two-stage study design using genotyping arrays and exome sequencing. Conditional, transcriptional, and histological analyses of implicated genes and proteins in brain tissues, and tests of the effects of risk variants on clinical phenotypes, were done using deep longitudinal clinical cohort data. Control data from healthy individuals were obtained from publicly available datasets matched for country. FINDINGS Samples from 5208 cases were obtained between 1990 and 2014. We found 41 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and independently replicated findings at three loci associated with sCJD risk; within PRNP (rs1799990; additive model odds ratio [OR] 1·23 [95% CI 1·17-1·30], p=2·68 × 10-15; heterozygous model p=1·01 × 10-135), STX6 (rs3747957; OR 1·16 [1·10-1·22], p=9·74 × 10-9), and GAL3ST1 (rs2267161; OR 1·18 [1·12-1·25], p=8·60 × 10-10). Follow-up analyses showed that associations at PRNP and GAL3ST1 are likely to be caused by common variants that alter the protein sequence, whereas risk variants in STX6 are associated with increased expression of the major transcripts in disease-relevant brain regions. INTERPRETATION We present, to our knowledge, the first evidence of statistically robust genetic associations in sporadic human prion disease that implicate intracellular trafficking and sphingolipid metabolism as molecular causal mechanisms. Risk SNPs in STX6 are shared with progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurodegenerative disease associated with misfolding of protein tau, indicating that sCJD might share the same causal mechanisms as prion-like disorders. FUNDING Medical Research Council and the UK National Institute of Health Research in part through the Biomedical Research Centre at University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Jones
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Holger Hummerich
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Emmanuelle Viré
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - James Uphill
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Athanasios Dimitriadis
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Helen Speedy
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Tracy Campbell
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Penny Norsworthy
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Liam Quinn
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Jerome Whitfield
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline Linehan
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Division of Neuropathology, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK; Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Brandner
- Division of Neuropathology, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Parmjit Jat
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Akin Nihat
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tze How Mok
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Parvin Ahmed
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK
| | - Steven Collins
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christiane Stehmann
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Shannon Sarros
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Laboratory Medicine Program, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael D Geschwind
- University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aili Golubjatnikov
- University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Herbert Budka
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Sven J van der Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Cornelia M van Duijn
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Beata Sikorska
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Ewa Golanska
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Pawel P Liberski
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Miguel Calero
- Chronic Disease Programme (UFIEC-CROSADIS) and Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), and Alzheimer Disease Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Centre, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Olga Calero
- Chronic Disease Programme (UFIEC-CROSADIS) and Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), and Alzheimer Disease Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Centre, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanchez-Juan
- Neurology Service, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, CIBERNED and IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Antonio Salas
- Unidade de Xenética, Instituto de Ciencias Forenses (INCIFOR), Facultade de Medicina, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, and GenPoB Research Group, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IDIS), Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago (SERGAS), Galicia, Spain
| | - Federico Martinón-Torres
- Translational Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
| | - Elodie Bouaziz-Amar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lariboisière Hospital, AP-HP, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Haïk
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Paris, France; Cellule nationale de référence des maladies de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, AP-HP, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Louis Laplanche
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lariboisière Hospital, AP-HP, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Phillipe Brandel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Paris, France; Cellule nationale de référence des maladies de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, AP-HP, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Phillipe Amouyel
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167-RID-AGE, Labex DISTALZ, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jean-Charles Lambert
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1167-RID-AGE, Labex DISTALZ, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Sabina Capellari
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Poleggi
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Ladogana
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Serena Aneli
- Department of Medical Sciences, Università degli studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Matullo
- Department of Medical Sciences, Università degli studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Richard Knight
- National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Research and Surveillance Unit, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Saima Zafar
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Centre and National Reference Centre for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany; German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany; Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Department, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Centre and National Reference Centre for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany; German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Booth
- Prion Disease Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michael B Coulthart
- Canadian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Gerard H Jansen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Katie Glisic
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Janis Blevins
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Pierluigi Gambetti
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jiri Safar
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Brian Appleby
- Departments of Pathology and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Simon Mead
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, University College London Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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