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Ackermann I, Ulrich R, Tauscher K, Fatola OI, Keller M, Shawulu JC, Arnold M, Czub S, Groschup MH, Balkema-Buschmann A. Prion Infectivity and PrP BSE in the Peripheral and Central Nervous System of Cattle 8 Months Post Oral BSE Challenge. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111310. [PMID: 34768738 PMCID: PMC8583047 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111310] [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: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
After oral exposure of cattle with classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE), the infectious agent ascends from the gut to the central nervous system (CNS) primarily via the autonomic nervous system. However, the timeline of this progression has thus far remained widely undetermined. Previous studies were focused on later time points after oral exposure of animals that were already 4 to 6 months old when challenged. In contrast, in this present study, we have orally inoculated 4 to 6 weeks old unweaned calves with high doses of BSE to identify any possible BSE infectivity and/or PrPBSE in peripheral nervous tissues during the first eight months post-inoculation (mpi). For the detection of BSE infectivity, we used a bovine PrP transgenic mouse bioassay, while PrPBSE depositions were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and by protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). We were able to show that as early as 8 mpi the thoracic spinal cord as well as the parasympathetic nodal ganglion of these animals contained PrPBSE and BSE infectivity. This shows that the centripetal prion spread starts early after challenge at least in this age group, which represents an essential piece of information for the risk assessments for food, feed, and pharmaceutical products produced from young calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivett Ackermann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
| | - Reiner Ulrich
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Kerstin Tauscher
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
| | - Olanrewaju I. Fatola
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
- Neuroscience Unit, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Nigeria
| | - Markus Keller
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
| | - James C. Shawulu
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja 900105, Nigeria
| | - Mark Arnold
- Animal and Plant Health Agency Sutton Bonington, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire LE12 5RB, UK;
| | - Stefanie Czub
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Lethbridge Laboratory, Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Z4, Canada;
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (I.A.); (O.I.F.); (M.K.); (J.C.S.); (M.H.G.)
- Correspondence:
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Eiden M, Gedvilaite A, Leidel F, Ulrich RG, Groschup MH. Vaccination with Prion Peptide-Displaying Polyomavirus-Like Particles Prolongs Incubation Time in Scrapie-Infected Mice. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050811. [PMID: 33946367 PMCID: PMC8147134 DOI: 10.3390/v13050811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases like scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle or Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) in humans are fatal neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the conformational conversion of the normal, mainly α-helical cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the abnormal β-sheet rich infectious isoform PrPSc. Various therapeutic or prophylactic approaches have been conducted, but no approved therapeutic treatment is available so far. Immunisation against prions is hampered by the self-tolerance to PrPC in mammalian species. One strategy to avoid this tolerance is presenting PrP variants in virus-like particles (VLPs). Therefore, we vaccinated C57/BL6 mice with nine prion peptide variants presented by hamster polyomavirus capsid protein VP1/VP2-derived VLPs. Mice were subsequently challenged intraperitoneally with the murine RML prion strain. Importantly, one group exhibited significantly increased mean survival time of 240 days post-inoculation compared with 202 days of the control group. These data show that immunisation with VLPs presenting PrP peptides may represent a promising strategy for an effective vaccination against transmissible spongiform encephalitis agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Eiden
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.L.); (R.G.U.); (M.H.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Alma Gedvilaite
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Fabienne Leidel
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.L.); (R.G.U.); (M.H.G.)
- Task Force Animal Diseases, Darmstadt Regional Administrative Council, Luisenplatz 2, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.L.); (R.G.U.); (M.H.G.)
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (F.L.); (R.G.U.); (M.H.G.)
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Fast C, Keller M, Kaatz M, Ziegler U, Groschup MH. Low levels of classical BSE infectivity in rendered fat tissue. Vet Res 2018; 49:122. [PMID: 30572960 PMCID: PMC6302288 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-018-0618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BSE infectivity in mesentery fat is most likely associated with embedded nervous tissue. To prove this mesentery containing celiac ganglion was taken from oral BSE infected cattle in different stages of the disease and from one control animal. Fat was rendered according to standard tallow production methods and the prion infectivity therein analysed in transgenic mouse bioassay. Rendered fat of the clinical animal revealed low infectivity levels, whereas preclinical and control animals remained negative. This study, although not representative, provides a proof of principle, indicating the potential contamination of melted mesenteric fat by embedded nervous structures during standard tallow production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Fast
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Markus Keller
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Kaatz
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Ute Ziegler
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany.
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Ackermann I, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ulrich R, Tauscher K, Shawulu JC, Keller M, Fatola OI, Brown P, Groschup MH. Detection of PrP BSE and prion infectivity in the ileal Peyer's patch of young calves as early as 2 months after oral challenge with classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Vet Res 2017; 48:88. [PMID: 29258602 PMCID: PMC5738053 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-017-0495-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE), an orally acquired prion disease of cattle, the ileal Peyer’s patch (IPP) represents the main entry port for the BSE agent. In earlier C-BSE pathogenesis studies, cattle at 4–6 months of age were orally challenged, while there are strong indications that the risk of infection is highest in young animals. In the present study, unweaned calves aged 4–6 weeks were orally challenged to determine the earliest time point at which newly formed PrPBSE and BSE infectivity are detectable in the IPP. For this purpose, calves were culled 1 week as well as 2, 4, 6 and 8 months post-infection (mpi) and IPPs were examined for BSE infectivity using a bovine PrP transgenic mouse bioassay, and for PrPBSE by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) assays. For the first time, BSE prions were detected in the IPP as early as 2 mpi by transgenic mouse bioassay and PMCA and 4 mpi by IHC in the follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) of the IPP follicles. These data indicate that BSE prions propagate in the IPP of unweaned calves within 2 months of oral uptake of the agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivett Ackermann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Reiner Ulrich
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Kerstin Tauscher
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - James C Shawulu
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Markus Keller
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Olanrewaju I Fatola
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Paul Brown
- National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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Niedermeyer S, Eiden M, Toumazos P, Papasavva-Stylianou P, Ioannou I, Sklaviadis T, Panagiotidis C, Langeveld J, Bossers A, Kuczius T, Kaatz M, Groschup MH, Fast C. Genetic, histochemical and biochemical studies on goat TSE cases from Cyprus. Vet Res 2016; 47:99. [PMID: 27716411 PMCID: PMC5053211 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-016-0379-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE’s) affecting sheep and goats. Susceptibility of goats to scrapie is influenced by polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP) of the host. Five polymorphisms are associated with reduced susceptibility to TSE’s. In the study presented here caprine samples from a scrapie eradication program on Cyprus were genotyped and further characterized using BioRad TeSeE rapid test, histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. In total 42 goats from 20 flocks were necropsied from which 25 goats showed a positive result in the rapid test, a spongiform encephalopathy and an accumulation of pathological prion protein (PrPSc) in the obex. PrPSc deposits were demonstrated in the placenta, peripheral nervous and lymphoreticular system. Two animals showed PrPSc-accumulations in peripheral tissues only. By discriminatory immunoblots a scrapie infection could be confirmed for all cases. Nevertheless, slight deviations in the glycosylation pattern might indicate the presence of different scrapie strains. Furthermore scrapie samples from goats in the current study demonstrated less long term resistance to proteinase K than ovine or caprine BSE control samples. Reduced scrapie susceptibility according to the PRNP genotype was demonstrated (Fishers Exact test, p < 0.05) for the goats with at least one polymorphism (p = 0.023) at the six codons examined and in particular for those with polymorphisms at codon 146 (p = 0.016). This work characterizes scrapie in goats having implications for breeding and surveillance strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Niedermeyer
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Pavlos Toumazos
- Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, 1417, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Ioannis Ioannou
- Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, 1417, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Theodoros Sklaviadis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Cynthia Panagiotidis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Jan Langeveld
- Department of Infection Biology, Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Alex Bossers
- Department of Infection Biology, Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Thorsten Kuczius
- Institute for Hygiene, Westfälische Wilhelms-University and University Hospital Münster, Robert Koch-Strasse 41, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Kaatz
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Christine Fast
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany.
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Methods for Differentiating Prion Types in Food-Producing Animals. BIOLOGY 2015; 4:785-813. [PMID: 26580664 PMCID: PMC4690018 DOI: 10.3390/biology4040785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Prions are an enigma amongst infectious disease agents as they lack a genome yet confer specific pathologies thought to be dictated mainly, if not solely, by the conformation of the disease form of the prion protein (PrPSc). Prion diseases affect humans and animals, the latter including the food-producing ruminant species cattle, sheep, goats and deer. Importantly, it has been shown that the disease agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is zoonotic, causing variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans. Current diagnostic tests can distinguish different prion types and in food-producing animals these focus on the differentiation of BSE from the non-zoonotic agents. Whilst BSE cases are now rare, atypical forms of both scrapie and BSE have been reported, as well as two types of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. Typing of animal prion isolates remains an important aspect of prion diagnosis and is now becoming more focused on identifying the range of prion types that are present in food-producing animals and also developing tests that can screen for emerging, novel prion diseases. Here, we review prion typing methodologies in light of current and emerging prion types in food-producing animals.
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Scientific Opinion on a request for a review of a scientific publication concerning the zoonotic potential of ovine scrapie prions. EFSA J 2015. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Oelschlegel AM, Geissen M, Lenk M, Riebe R, Angermann M, Schaetzl H, Groschup MH. A bovine cell line that can be infected by natural sheep scrapie prions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117154. [PMID: 25565633 PMCID: PMC4286239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell culture systems represent a crucial part in basic prion research; yet, cell lines that are susceptible to prions, especially to field isolated prions that were not adapted to rodents, are very rare. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize a cell line that was susceptible to ruminant-derived prions and to establish a stable prion infection within it. Based on species and tissue of origin as well as PrP expression rate, we pre-selected a total of 33 cell lines that were then challenged with natural and with mouse propagated BSE or scrapie inocula. Here, we report the successful infection of a non-transgenic bovine cell line, a sub-line of the bovine kidney cell line MDBK, with natural sheep scrapie prions. This cell line retained the scrapie infection for more than 200 passages. Selective cloning resulted in cell populations with increased accumulation of PrPres, although this treatment was not mandatory for retaining the infection. The infection remained stable, even under suboptimal culture conditions. The resulting infectivity of the cells was confirmed by mouse bioassay (Tgbov mice, Tgshp mice). We believe that PES cells used together with other prion permissive cell lines will prove a valuable tool for ongoing efforts to understand and defeat prions and prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja M. Oelschlegel
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
- Project Group Neuropharmacology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Geissen
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
- Department of Vascular Medicine, University Heart Centre Hamburg, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Lenk
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Roland Riebe
- Department of Experimental Animal Facilities and Biorisk Management at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Marlies Angermann
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
- Administrative District Office Goerlitz, Goerlitz, Germany
| | - Hermann Schaetzl
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald—Isle of Riems, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Wadsworth JDF, Joiner S, Linehan JM, Balkema-Buschmann A, Spiropoulos J, Simmons MM, Griffiths PC, Groschup MH, Hope J, Brandner S, Asante EA, Collinge J. Atypical scrapie prions from sheep and lack of disease in transgenic mice overexpressing human prion protein. Emerg Infect Dis 2014; 19:1731-9. [PMID: 24188521 PMCID: PMC3837652 DOI: 10.3201/eid1911.121341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Public and animal health controls to limit human exposure to animal prions are focused on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), but other prion strains in ruminants may also have zoonotic potential. One example is atypical/Nor98 scrapie, which evaded statutory diagnostic methods worldwide until the early 2000s. To investigate whether sheep infected with scrapie prions could be another source of infection, we inoculated transgenic mice that overexpressed human prion protein with brain tissue from sheep with natural field cases of classical and atypical scrapie, sheep with experimental BSE, and cattle with BSE. We found that these mice were susceptible to BSE prions, but disease did not develop after prolonged postinoculation periods when mice were inoculated with classical or atypical scrapie prions. These data are consistent with the conclusion that prion disease is less likely to develop in humans after exposure to naturally occurring prions of sheep than after exposure to epizootic BSE prions of ruminants.
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Leidel F, Eiden M, Geissen M, Hirschberger T, Tavan P, Giese A, Kretzschmar HA, Schätzl H, Groschup MH. Piperazine derivatives inhibit PrP/PrP(res) propagation in vitro and in vivo. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 445:23-9. [PMID: 24502948 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.01.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders, which are not curable and no effective treatment exists so far. The major neuropathological change in diseased brains is the conversion of the normal cellular form of the prion protein PrPc(C) into a disease-associated isoform PrP(Sc). PrP(Sc) accumulates into multimeres and fibrillar aggregates, which leads to the formation of amyloid plaques. Increasing evidence indicates a fundamental role of PrP(Sc) species and its aggregation in the pathogenesis of prion diseases, which initiates the pathological cascade and leads to neurodegeneration accompanied by spongiform changes. In search of compounds that have the potential to interfere with PrP(Sc) formation and propagation, we used a cell based assay for the screening of potential aggregation inhibitors. The assay deals with a permanently prion infected cell line that was adapted for a high-throughput screening of a compound library composed of 10,000 compounds (DIVERset 2, ChemBridge). We could detect six different classes of highly potent inhibitors of PrP(Sc) propagation in vitro and identified piperazine derivatives as a new inhibitory lead structure, which increased incubation time of scrapie infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Leidel
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Markus Geissen
- Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Hirschberger
- Theoretische Biophysik, Lehrstuhl für Biomolekulare Optik, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany
| | - Paul Tavan
- Theoretische Biophysik, Lehrstuhl für Biomolekulare Optik, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Institut für Neuropathologie, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany
| | - Hans A Kretzschmar
- Institut für Neuropathologie, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, München, Germany
| | - Hermann Schätzl
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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11
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Taema MM, Maddison BC, Thorne L, Bishop K, Owen J, Hunter N, Baker CA, Terry LA, Gough KC. Differentiating ovine BSE from CH1641 scrapie by serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification. Mol Biotechnol 2012; 51:233-9. [PMID: 21987099 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-011-9460-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Whilst ovine BSE displays distinct pathological characteristics to ovine CH1641-like scrapie upon passage in rodents, they have very similar molecular phenotypes. As such, the in vitro differentiation of these strains in routine surveillance programmes presents a significant diagnostic challenge. In this study, using serial protein-misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA), ovine BSE was readily amplified in vitro in brain substrates from sheep with V₁₃₆R₁₅₄Q₁₇₁/V₁₃₆R₁₅₄Q₁₇₁ or AHQ/AHQ PRNP genotypes. In contrast, the CH1641 strain was refractory to such amplification. This method allowed for complete and unequivocal differentiation of experimental BSE from CH1641 prion strains within an ovine host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maged M Taema
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, College Road, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
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Spread of classic BSE prions from the gut via the peripheral nervous system to the brain. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2012; 181:515-24. [PMID: 22781833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2011] [Revised: 04/04/2012] [Accepted: 05/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
An experimental oral bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) challenge study was performed to elucidate the route of infectious prions from the gut to the central nervous system in preclinical and clinical infected animals. Tissue samples collected from the gut and the central and autonomic nervous system from animals sacrificed between 16 and 44 months post infection (mpi) were examined for the presence of the pathological prion protein (PrP(Sc)) by IHC. Moreover, parts of these samples were also bioassayed using bovine cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) overexpressing transgenic mice (Tgbov XV) that lack the species barrier for bovine prions. A distinct accumulation of PrP(Sc) was observed in the distal ileum, confined to follicles and/or the enteric nervous system, in almost all animals. BSE prions were found in the sympathetic nervous system starting at 16 mpi, and in the parasympathetic nervous system from 20 mpi. A clear dissociation between prion infectivity and detectable PrP(Sc) deposition became obvious. The earliest presence of infectivity in the brain stem was detected at 24 mpi, whereas PrP(Sc) accumulation was first detected after 28 mpi. In summary, our results decipher the centripetal spread of BSE prions along the autonomic nervous system to the central nervous system, starting already halfway in the incubation time.
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Eiden M, Leidel F, Strohmeier B, Fast C, Groschup MH. A Medicinal Herb Scutellaria lateriflora Inhibits PrP Replication in vitro and Delays the Onset of Prion Disease in Mice. Front Psychiatry 2012; 3:9. [PMID: 22363300 PMCID: PMC3281244 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) are characterized by the misfolding of the host encoded prion protein (PrP(C)) into a pathogenic isoform (PrP(Sc)) which leads to the accumulation of β-sheet-rich fibrils and subsequent loss of neurons and synaptic functions. Although many compounds have been identified which inhibit accumulation or dissolve fibrils and aggregates in vitro there is no therapeutic treatment to stop these progressive neurodegenerative diseases. Here we describe the effects of the traditional medicinal herb Scutellaria lateriflora (S. lateriflora) and its natural compounds, the flavonoids baicalein and baicalin, on the development of prion disease using in vitro and in vivo models. S. lateriflora extract as well as both constituents reduced the PrP(res) accumulation in scrapie-infected cell cultures and cell-free conversion assays and lead to the destabilization of pre-existing PrP(Sc) fibrils. Moreover, tea prepared from S. lateriflora, prolonged significantly the incubation time of scrapie-infected mice upon oral treatment. Therefore S. lateriflora extracts as well as the individual compounds can be considered as promising candidates for the development of new therapeutic drugs against TSEs and other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Eiden
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health Greifswald, Germany
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14
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Migliore S, Esposito E, Pirisinu L, Marcon S, Di Bari M, D'Agostino C, Chiappini B, Conte M, Sezzi E, De Grossi L, Agrimi U, Vaccari G, Nonno R. Effect of PrP genotype and route of inoculation on the ability of discriminatory Western blot to distinguish scrapie from sheep bovine spongiform encephalopathy. J Gen Virol 2011; 93:450-455. [PMID: 21994325 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.035469-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Procedures for discriminating scrapie from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in sheep are relevant to ascertain whether BSE has entered the sheep population. This study was aimed at investigating whether the suitability of an official EU discriminative method is affected by the sheep PrP genotype and route of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Migliore
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Esposito
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Pirisinu
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Marcon
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Di Bari
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia D'Agostino
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Chiappini
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Conte
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Erminia Sezzi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Italy
| | - Luigi De Grossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Italy
| | - Umberto Agrimi
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Vaccari
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Romolo Nonno
- Department of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
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15
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Leidel F, Eiden M, Geissen M, Kretzschmar HA, Giese A, Hirschberger T, Tavan P, Schätzl HM, Groschup MH. Diphenylpyrazole-derived compounds increase survival time of mice after prion infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2011; 55:4774-81. [PMID: 21746938 PMCID: PMC3186986 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00151-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) represent a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders that can be transmitted by natural infection or inoculation. TSEs include scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. The emergence of a variant form of CJD (vCJD), which has been associated with BSE, produced strong pressure to search for effective treatments with new drugs. Up to now, however, TSEs have proved incurable, although many efforts have been made both in vitro and in vivo to search for potent therapeutic and prophylactic compounds. For this purpose, we analyzed a compound library consisting of 10,000 compounds with a cell-based high-throughput screening assay dealing with scrapie-infected scrapie mouse brain and ScN(2)A cells and identified a new class of inhibitors consisting of 3,5-diphenylpyrazole (DPP) derivatives. The most effective DPP derivative showed half-maximal inhibition of PrP(Sc) formation at concentrations (IC(50)) of 0.6 and 1.2 μM, respectively. This compound was subsequently subjected to a number of animal experiments using scrapie-infected wild-type C57BL/6 and transgenic Tga20 mice. The DPP derivative induced a significant increase of incubation time both in therapeutic and prophylactic experiments. The onset of the prion disease was delayed by 37 days after intraperitoneal and 42 days after oral application, respectively. In summary, we demonstrate a high in vitro efficiency of DPP derivatives against prion infections that was substantiated in vivo for one of these compounds. These results indicate that the novel class of DPP compounds should comprise excellent candidates for future therapeutic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Leidel
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Markus Geissen
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Hans A. Kretzschmar
- Institute for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Institute for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Hirschberger
- Arbeitsgruppe Theoretische Biophysik, Lehrstuhl für BioMolekulare Optik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Tavan
- Arbeitsgruppe Theoretische Biophysik, Lehrstuhl für BioMolekulare Optik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann M. Schätzl
- Department of Molecular Biology and of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Martin H. Groschup
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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Fragkiadaki EG, Vaccari G, Ekateriniadou LV, Agrimi U, Giadinis ND, Chiappini B, Esposito E, Conte M, Nonno R. PRNP genetic variability and molecular typing of natural goat scrapie isolates in a high number of infected flocks. Vet Res 2011; 42:104. [PMID: 21961834 PMCID: PMC3190342 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-42-104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
One hundred and four scrapie positive and 77 negative goats from 34 Greek mixed flocks were analysed by prion protein gene sequencing and 17 caprine scrapie isolates from 11 flocks were submitted to molecular isolate typing. For the first time, the protective S146 variant was reported in Greece, while the protective K222 variant was detected in negative but also in five scrapie positive goats from heavily infected flocks. By immunoblotting six isolates, including two goat flockmates carrying the K222 variant, showed molecular features slightly different from all other Greek and Italian isolates co-analysed, possibly suggesting the presence of different scrapie strains in Greece.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini G Fragkiadaki
- National Agricultural Research Foundation, Veterinary Research Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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17
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Bencsik A, Baron T. Histopathological studies of "CH1641-like" scrapie sources versus classical scrapie and BSE transmitted to ovine transgenic mice (TgOvPrP4). PLoS One 2011; 6:e22105. [PMID: 21765939 PMCID: PMC3135617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 06/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The possibility of the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infecting small ruminants is of serious concern for human health. Among scrapie cases, the CH1641 source in particular appears to have certain biochemical properties similar to the BSE strain. In France, several natural scrapie cases were identified as “CH1641-like” natural scrapie isolates in sheep and goats. The Tg(OvPrP4) mouse line expressing the ovine prion protein is a sensitive model for studying and identifying strains of agents responsible for scrapie and BSE. This model is also very useful when studying specific scrapie source CH1641, known to be not transmissible to wild-type mice despite the similarity of some of its biochemical properties to those of the BSE strain. As it is important to be able to fully distinguish CH1641 from BSE, we herein report the histopathological data from CH1641 scrapie transmission experiments compared to specific cases of “CH1641-like” natural scrapie isolates in sheep, murine scrapie strains and BSE. In addition to the conventional vacuolar lesion profile approach and PrPd brain mappings, an innovative differential PET-blot analysis was introduced to classify the different strains of agent and revealed the first direct concordance between ways of grouping strains on the basis of PrPd biochemical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bencsik
- Unité Maladies Neurodégénératives, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, Lyon, France.
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18
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Vulin J, Biacabe AG, Cazeau G, Calavas D, Baron T. Molecular typing of protease-resistant prion protein in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies of small ruminants, France, 2002-2009. Emerg Infect Dis 2011; 17:55-63. [PMID: 21192855 PMCID: PMC3204636 DOI: 10.3201/eid1701.100891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The agent that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) may be infecting small ruminants, which could have serious implications for human health. To distinguish BSE from scrapie and to examine the molecular characteristics of the protease-resistant prion protein (PrPres), we used a specifically designed Western blot method to test isolates from 648 sheep and 53 goats. During 2002–2009, classical non-Nor98 transmissible spongiform encephalopathy had been confirmed among ≈1.7 million small ruminants in France. Five sheep and 2 goats that showed a PrPres pattern consistent with BSE, or with the CH1641 experimental scrapie source, were identified. Later, bioassays confirmed infection by the BSE agent in 1 of the 2 goats. Western blot testing of the 6 other isolates showed an additional C-terminally cleaved PrPres product, with an unglycosylated band at ≈14 kDa, similar to that found in the CH1641 experimental scrapie isolate and different from the BSE isolate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Vulin
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire, Lyon, France
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19
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BSE infectivity in jejunum, ileum and ileocaecal junction of incubating cattle. Vet Res 2011; 42:21. [PMID: 21314904 PMCID: PMC3048543 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9716-42-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/02/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To establish bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) public health protection measures it is important to precisely define the cattle tissues considered as specified risk materials (SRM). To date, in pre-clinical BSE infected cattle, no evidence of the BSE agent had been found in the gut outside of the ileal Peyer's Patches. This study was undertaken to determine when and where the pathological prion protein (PrPSc) and/or BSE infectivity can be found in the small intestine of cattle 4 to 6 months of age, orally challenged with BSE. Samples of the jejunum, the ileum and the ileocaecal junction from 46 BSE infected cattle, culled from 1 up to 44 months post infection (mpi) were examined by immunohistochemistry. Samples from cattle 8 mpi to 20 mpi were additionally studied by PTA Western blot, rapid tests, and by mouse (TgbovXV) bioassay. In doing so nearly all of the cattle, from 4 up to 44 mpi, had detectable amounts of PrPSc and/or infectivity in the distal ileum. In the distal ileum clear time-dependent variations were visible concerning the amount of PrPSc, the tissue structures affected, and the cells involved. BSE infectivity was found not only in the ileum and ileocaecal junction but also in the jejunum. The systematic approach of this study provides new data for qualitative and quantitative risk assessments and allows defining bovine SRM more precisely.
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20
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Seuberlich T, Heim D, Zurbriggen A. Atypical transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in ruminants: a challenge for disease surveillance and control. J Vet Diagn Invest 2011; 22:823-42. [PMID: 21088166 DOI: 10.1177/104063871002200601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 1987, when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) emerged as a novel disease in cattle, enormous efforts were undertaken to monitor and control the disease in ruminants worldwide. The driving force was its high economic impact, which resulted from trade restrictions and the loss of consumer confidence in beef products, the latter because BSE turned out to be a fatal zoonosis, causing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in human beings. The ban on meat and bone meal in livestock feed and the removal of specified risk materials from the food chain were the main measures to successfully prevent infection in cattle and to protect human beings from BSE exposure. However, although BSE is now under control, previously unknown, so-called atypical transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in cattle and small ruminants have been identified by enhanced disease surveillance. This report briefly reviews and summarizes the current level of knowledge on the spectrum of TSEs in cattle and small ruminants and addresses the question of the extent to which such atypical TSEs have an effect on disease surveillance and control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Seuberlich
- NeuroCentre, National and OIE Reference Laboratories for BSE and Scrapie, DCR-VPH, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, CH-3001 Berne, Switzerland.
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21
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Abstract
Although prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans and scrapie in sheep, have long been recognized, our understanding of their epidemiology and pathogenesis is still in its early stages. Progress is hampered by the lengthy incubation periods and the lack of effective ways of monitoring and characterizing these agents. Protease-resistant conformers of the prion protein (PrP), known as the "scrapie form" (PrP(Sc)), are used as disease markers, and for taxonomic purposes, in correlation with clinical, pathological, and genetic data. In humans, prion diseases can arise sporadically (sCJD) or genetically (gCJD and others), caused by mutations in the PrP-gene (PRNP), or as a foodborne infection, with the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) causing variant CJD (vCJD). Person-to-person spread of human prion disease has only been known to occur following cannibalism (kuru disease in Papua New Guinea) or through medical or surgical treatment (iatrogenic CJD, iCJD). In contrast, scrapie in small ruminants and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids behave as infectious diseases within these species. Recently, however, so-called atypical forms of prion diseases have been discovered in sheep (atypical/Nor98 scrapie) and in cattle, BSE-H and BSE-L. These maladies resemble sporadic or genetic human prion diseases and might be their animal equivalents. This hypothesis also raises the significant public health question of possible epidemiological links between these diseases and their counterparts in humans.
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22
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Jacobs JG, Sauer M, van Keulen LJM, Tang Y, Bossers A, Langeveld JPM. Differentiation of ruminant transmissible spongiform encephalopathy isolate types, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy and CH1641 scrapie. J Gen Virol 2010; 92:222-32. [PMID: 20943889 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.026153-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
With increased awareness of the diversity of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) strains in the ruminant population, comes an appreciation of the need for improved methods of differential diagnosis. Exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been associated with the human TSE, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, emphasizing the necessity in distinguishing low-risk TSE types from BSE. TSE type discrimination in ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats and deer, requires the application of several prion protein (PrP)-specific antibodies in parallel immunochemical tests on brain homogenates or tissue sections from infected animals. This study uses in a single incubation step, three PrP-specific antibodies and fluorescent Alexa dye-labelled anti-mouse Fabs on a Western blot. The usual amount of brain tissue needed is 0.5 mg. This multiplex application of antibodies directed towards three different PrP epitopes enabled differential diagnosis of all established main features of classical scrapie, BSE and Nor98-like scrapie in sheep and goats, as well as the currently known BSE types C, H and L in cattle. Moreover, due to an antibody-dependent dual PrP-banding pattern, for the first time CH1641 scrapie of sheep can be reliably discriminated from the other TSE isolate types in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Jacobs
- Department of Infection Biology, Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands
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23
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Eiden M, Hoffmann C, Balkema-Buschmann A, Müller M, Baumgartner K, Groschup MH. Biochemical and immunohistochemical characterization of feline spongiform encephalopathy in a German captive cheetah. J Gen Virol 2010; 91:2874-83. [PMID: 20660146 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.022103-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that affects domestic cats (Felis catus) and captive wild members of the family Felidae. In this report we describe a case of FSE in a captive cheetah from the zoological garden of Nuremberg. The biochemical examination revealed a BSE-like pattern. Disease-associated scrapie prion protein (PrP(Sc)) was widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as in the lymphoreticular system and in other tissues of the affected animal, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and/or immunoblotting. Moreover, we report for the first time the use of the protein misfolding cyclic amplification technique for highly sensitive detection of PrP(Sc) in the family Felidae. The widespread PrP(Sc) deposition suggests a simultaneous lymphatic and neural spread of the FSE agent. The detection of PrP(Sc) in the spleen indicates a potential for prion infectivity of cheetah blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Eiden
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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González L, Sisó S, Monleón E, Casalone C, van Keulen LJM, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ortiz-Peláez A, Iulini B, Langeveld JPM, Hoffmann C, Badiola JJ, Jeffrey M, Acín C. Variability in disease phenotypes within a single PRNP genotype suggests the existence of multiple natural sheep scrapie strains within Europe. J Gen Virol 2010; 91:2630-41. [PMID: 20538906 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.022574-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Variability of pathological phenotypes within classical sheep scrapie cases has been reported for some time, but in many instances it has been attributed to differences in the PRNP genotype of the host. To address this issue we have examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB) for the disease-associated form of the prion protein (PrP(d)), the brains of 23 sheep from five European countries, all of which were of the same ARQ/ARQ genotype. As a result of IHC examinations, sheep were distributed into five groups with different phenotypes and the groups were the same regardless of the scoring method used, 'long' or 'short' PrP(d) profiling. The groups made did not respond to the geographical origin of the cases and did not correlate with the vacuolar lesion profiles, which showed a high individual variability. Discriminatory IHC and WB methods coincided to detect a 'CH1641-like' case but otherwise correlated poorly in the classification of disease phenotypes. No other polymorphisms of the PRNP gene were found that could account for the pathological differences, except perhaps for a sheep from Spain with a mutation at codon 103 and a unique pathological phenotype. Preliminary evidence indicates that those different IHC phenotypes correlate with distinct biological properties on bioassay, suggesting that they are indicative of strain diversity. We therefore conclude that natural scrapie strains exist and that they can be revealed by detailed pathological examinations, which can be harmonized between laboratories to produce comparable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo González
- Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, UK.
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25
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Tang Y, Thorne J, Whatling K, Jacobs JG, Langeveld J, Sauer MJ. A single step multiplex immunofluorometric assay for differential diagnosis of BSE and scrapie. J Immunol Methods 2010; 356:29-38. [PMID: 20214905 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2010.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2010] [Revised: 03/01/2010] [Accepted: 03/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although there is no evidence that the European sheep population has been infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), distinguishing this from scrapie is paramount, given the association between BSE exposure and the human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The capability to differentially diagnose TSEs in sheep is thus essential in order to safeguard the food chain and human health. Biochemical methods for differentiating BSE and scrapie are largely reliant on assessment by Western blot (WB) analysis of the abnormal disease associated prion protein PrP(D) following partial proteolytic digestion. WB banding patterns obtained using a panel of antibodies enable different strain specific conformations of PrP(D) to be distinguished. This approach provides a robust confirmatory test but one which is not appropriate for high throughput screening. A simple, one step, bead array flow cytometry based multiplex immunofluorometric assay has been developed which is suitable for simultaneous screening and confirmation. Using a combination of antibodies directed towards three PrP epitopes enabled differential diagnosis of scrapie and BSE. Proof of principle studies indicated a high predictive value (100%) when applied to brain samples from control animals, BSE infected cattle and sheep naturally infected with scrapie or experimentally infected with BSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Tang
- Department of Molecular Pathogenesis and Genetics, Veterinary Laboratories Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK
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26
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Abstract
The crucial event in the development of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) is the conformational change of a host-encoded membrane protein - the cellular PrPC - into a disease associated, fibril-forming isoform PrPSc. This conformational transition from the α-helix-rich cellular form into the mainly β-sheet containing counterpart initiates an ‘autocatalytic’ reaction which leads to the accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the central nervous system (CNS) and to neurodegeneration, a hallmark of TSEs. The exact molecular mechanisms which lead to the conformational change are still unknown. It also remains to be brought to light how a polypeptide chain can adopt at least two stable conformations. This review focuses on structural aspects of the prion protein with regard to protein-protein interactions and the initiation of prion protein misfolding. It therefore highlights parts of the protein which might play a notable role in the conformational transition from PrPC to PrPSc and consequently in inducing a fatal chain reaction of protein misfolding. Furthermore, features of different proteins, which are able to adopt insoluble fibrillar states under certain circumstances, are compared to PrP in an attempt to understand the unique characteristics of prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Kupfer
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
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27
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Polak MP, Larska M, Langeveld JPM, Buschmann A, Groschup MH, Zmudzinski JF. Diagnosis of the first cases of scrapie in Poland. Vet J 2009; 186:47-52. [PMID: 19716323 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2009] [Revised: 07/13/2009] [Accepted: 07/28/2009] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
This is the first report of cases of scrapie in Poland. The disease was an atypical phenotype, diagnosed in two aged sheep which were found dead. Brainstem samples from both animals were positive on the applied ELISA rapid test, while the confirmatory immunoblot indicated abnormal banding patterns of protease resistant prion protein (PrP(res)). The genotypes of these sheep were ALRQ/ALHQ and ALRQ/ALRR. The absence of premonitory clinical signs, the advanced age of the affected sheep, the higher concentration of PrP(res) in the cerebellum relative to the obex, the unusual banding profile of the prion protein and its relatively low resistance to proteolytic degradation confirmed the diagnosis of atypical scrapie (Nor98-like) in both cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslaw P Polak
- National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow 57, 24-100 Pulawy, Poland.
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28
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Castilla J, Morales R, Saá P, Barria M, Gambetti P, Soto C. Cell-free propagation of prion strains. EMBO J 2008; 27:2557-66. [PMID: 18800058 PMCID: PMC2567411 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2008.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2007] [Accepted: 08/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Prions are the infectious agents responsible for prion diseases, which appear to be composed exclusively by the misfolded prion protein (PrP(Sc)). Disease is transmitted by the autocatalytic propagation of PrP(Sc) misfolding at the expense of the normal prion protein. The biggest challenge of the prion hypothesis has been to explain the molecular mechanism by which prions can exist as different strains, producing diseases with distinguishable characteristics. Here, we show that PrP(Sc) generated in vitro by protein misfolding cyclic amplification from five different mouse prion strains maintains the strain-specific properties. Inoculation of wild-type mice with in vitro-generated PrP(Sc) caused a disease with indistinguishable incubation times as well as neuropathological and biochemical characteristics as the parental strains. Biochemical features were also maintained upon replication of four human prion strains. These results provide additional support for the prion hypothesis and indicate that strain characteristics can be faithfully propagated in the absence of living cells, suggesting that strain variation is dependent on PrP(Sc) properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Castilla
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rodrigo Morales
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paula Saá
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcelo Barria
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Claudio Soto
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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29
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Owen JP, Rees HC, Maddison BC, Terry LA, Thorne L, Jackman R, Whitelam GC, Gough KC. Molecular profiling of ovine prion diseases by using thermolysin-resistant PrPSc and endogenous C2 PrP fragments. J Virol 2007; 81:10532-9. [PMID: 17652380 PMCID: PMC2045483 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00640-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease-associated PrP fragments produced upon in vitro or in vivo proteolysis can provide significant insight into the causal strain of prion disease. Here we describe a novel molecular strain typing assay that used thermolysin digestion of caudal medulla samples to produce PrPres signatures on Western blots that readily distinguished experimental sheep bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from classical scrapie. Furthermore, the accumulation of such PrPres species within the cerebellum also appeared to be dependent upon the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) strain, allowing discrimination between two experimental strains of scrapie and grouping of natural scrapie isolates into two profiles. The occurrence of endogenously produced PrP fragments, namely, glycosylated and unglycosylated C2, within different central nervous system (CNS) regions is also described; this is the first detailed description of such scrapie-associated fragments within a natural host. The advent of C2 fragments within defined CNS regions, compared between BSE and scrapie cases and also between two experimental scrapie strains, appeared to be largely dependent upon the TSE strain. The combined analyses of C2 fragments and thermolysin-resistant PrP species within caudal medulla, cerebellum, and spinal cord samples allowed natural scrapie isolates to be separated into four distinct molecular profiles: most isolates produced C2 and PrPres in all CNS regions, a second group lacked detectable cerebellar C2 fragments, one isolate lacked both cerebellar PrPres and C2, and a further isolate lacked detectable C2 within all three CNS regions and also lacked cerebellar PrPres. This CNS region-specific deposition of disease-associated PrP species may reflect the natural heterogeneity of scrapie strains in the sheep population in the United Kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Owen
- ADAS UK, Department of Biology, Adrian Building, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
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30
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Vidal E, Márquez M, Costa C, Tortosa R, Domènech A, Serafín A, Pumarola M. Molecular profiling and comparison of field transmissible spongiform encephalopathy cases diagnosed in Catalunya. Vet J 2007; 174:196-9. [PMID: 16690334 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Molecular profiling of the proteinase K resistant prion protein (PrP(res)) is a technique that has been applied to the characterisation of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) strains. An interesting example of the application of this technique is the ability to differentiate, at the experimental level, between bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie infection in sheep, and to distinguish between classical and atypical BSE and scrapie cases. Twenty-six BSE cases and two scrapie cases from an active TSE surveillance program and diagnosed at the PRIOCAT, TSE Reference Laboratory (Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain) were examined by Western blotting. Molecular profiling was achieved by comparing the glycosylation profile, deglycosylated PrP molecular weight and 6H4/P4 monoclonal antibody binding ratio. The results obtained during the characterisation of these field cases indicated an absence of atypical BSE cases in Catalunya.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Vidal
- Laboratori PRIOCAT, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Barcelona, Spain
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31
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Baron T, Biacabe AG. Molecular behaviors of "CH1641-like" sheep scrapie isolates in ovine transgenic mice (TgOvPrP4). J Virol 2007; 81:7230-7. [PMID: 17442721 PMCID: PMC1933328 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02475-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular analyses of the protease-resistant prion protein (PrP(res)) from a few natural scrapie isolates showed by Western blotting some partial similarities with those observed in experimental ovine bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). They showed a low apparent molecular mass of unglycosylated PrP(res), although diglycosylated PrP(res) was less abundant than in ovine BSE. The prototype of such cases is the CH1641 experimental scrapie isolate. We analyzed PrP(res) molecular features from three French natural "CH1641-like" isolates, in comparison with CH1641 and BSE, after transmission of the disease in ovine transgenic mice (TgOvPrP4). One of these isolates (TR316211) behaved like the CH1641 isolate, with PrP(res) features in mice similar to those in the sheep brain. From two other isolates (O100 and O104), two distinct PrP(res) phenotypes were identified in mouse brains, with either high (h-type) or low (l-type) apparent molecular masses of unglycosylated PrP(res), the latter being similar to that observed with CH1641, TR316211, or BSE. Both phenotypes could be found in variable proportions in the brains of the individual mice. In contrast with BSE, l-type PrP(res) from "CH1641-like" isolates showed lower levels of diglycosylated PrP(res). From one of these cases (O104), a second passage in mice was performed for two mice with distinct PrP(res) profiles. This showed a partial selection of the l-type phenotype in mice infected with a mouse brain with predominant l-type PrP(res), and it was accompanied by a significant increase in the proportions of the diglycosylated band. These results are discussed in relation to the diversity of scrapie and BSE strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Baron
- Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments-Lyon, Unité ATNC, Lyon, France.
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32
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Hoffmann C, Ziegler U, Buschmann A, Weber A, Kupfer L, Oelschlegel A, Hammerschmidt B, Groschup MH. Prions spread via the autonomic nervous system from the gut to the central nervous system in cattle incubating bovine spongiform encephalopathy. J Gen Virol 2007; 88:1048-1055. [PMID: 17325380 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.82186-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To elucidate the still-unknown pathogenesis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), an oral BSE challenge and sequential kill study was carried out on 56 calves. Relevant tissues belonging to the peripheral and central nervous system, as well as to the lymphoreticular tract, from necropsied animals were analysed by highly sensitive immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting techniques to reveal the presence of BSE-associated pathological prion protein (PrPSc) depositions. Our results demonstrate two routes involving the autonomic nervous system through which BSE prions spread by anterograde pathways from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) to the central nervous system (CNS): (i) via the coeliac and mesenteric ganglion complex, splanchnic nerves and the lumbal/caudal thoracic spinal cord (representing the sympathetic GIT innervation); and (ii) via the Nervus vagus (parasympathetic GIT innervation). The dorsal root ganglia seem to be subsequently affected, so it is likely that BSE prion invasion of the non-autonomic peripheral nervous system (e.g. sciatic nerve) is a secondary retrograde event following prion replication in the CNS. Moreover, BSE-associated PrPSc was already detected in the brainstem of an animal 24 months post-infection, which is 8 months earlier than reported previously. These findings are important for the understanding of BSE pathogenesis and for the development of new diagnostic strategies for this infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Hoffmann
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Ute Ziegler
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anne Buschmann
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Artur Weber
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Leila Kupfer
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anja Oelschlegel
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Baerbel Hammerschmidt
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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33
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Lühken G, Zieleniewicz D, Brandt HR, Buschmann A, Groschup MH, Erhardt G. Microsatellites MCMA53 and MCMA16 on OAR15 are associated with susceptibility to atypical scrapie. Anim Genet 2007; 38:88-9. [PMID: 17257201 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01552.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G Lühken
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
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34
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Seitz R, von Auer F, Blümel J, Burger R, Buschmann A, Dietz K, Heiden M, Hitzler WE, Klamm H, Kreil T, Kretzschmar H, Nübling M, Offergeld R, Pauli G, Schottstedt V, Volkers P, Zerr I. Impact of vCJD on blood supply. Biologicals 2007; 35:79-97. [PMID: 17320412 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2007.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2006] [Revised: 01/09/2007] [Accepted: 01/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is an at present inevitably lethal neurodegenerative disease which can only be diagnosed definitely post mortem. The majority of the approximately 200 victims to date have resided in the UK where most contaminated beef materials entered the food chain. Three cases in the UK demonstrated that vCJD can be transmitted by blood transfusion. Since BSE and vCJD have spread to several countries outside the UK, it appears advisable that specific risk assessments be carried out in different countries and geographic areas. This review explains the approach adopted by Germany in assessing the risk and considering precautionary measures. A fundamental premise is that the feeding chain of cattle and the food chain have been successfully and permanently cleared from contaminated material. This raises the question of whether transmissions via blood transfusions could have the potential to perpetuate vCJD in mankind. A model calculation based on actual population data showed, however, that this would not be the case. Moreover, an exclusion of transfusion recipients from blood donation would add very little to the safety of blood transfusions, but would have a considerable impact on blood supply. Therefore, an exclusion of transfusion recipients was not recommended in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Seitz
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 51-59, D-63225 Langen, Germany.
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35
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Kuczius T, Grassi J, Karch H, Groschup MH. Binding of N- and C-terminal anti-prion protein antibodies generates distinct phenotypes of cellular prion proteins (PrPC) obtained from human, sheep, cattle and mouse. FEBS J 2007; 274:1492-502. [PMID: 17302739 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2007.05691.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders which cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, scrapie in sheep and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. The infectious agent is a protease resistant isoform (PrP(Sc)) of a host encoded prion protein (PrP(C)). PrP(Sc) proteins are characterized according to size and glycoform pattern. We analyzed the glycoform patterns of PrP(C) obtained from humans, sheep, cattle and mice to find interspecies variability for distinct differentiation among species. To obtain reliable results, the imaging technique was used for measurement of the staining band intensities and reproducible profiles were achieved by many repeated immunoblot analysis. With a set of antibodies, we discovered two distinct patterns which were not species-dependent. One pattern is characterized by high signal intensity for the di-glycosylated isoform using antibodies that bind to the N-terminal region, whereas the other exhibits high intensity for protein bands at the size of the nonglycosylated isoform using antibodies recognizing the C-terminal region. This pattern is the result of an overlap of the nonglycosylated full-length and the glycosylated N-terminal truncated PrP(C) isoforms. Our data demonstrate the importance of antibody selection in characterization of PrP(C).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Kuczius
- Institute for Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Robert Koch Strasse 41, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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36
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Kuczius T, Brinkmann B, Grassi J. Immunoreactivity enhancement with chelators for increasing the detection sensitivity of human PrPSc by Western blotting. Neurochem Int 2007; 50:102-8. [PMID: 16962685 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2006.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2006] [Accepted: 07/11/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The host-encoded prion protein (PrP(C)) will be converted into a structurally altered isoform (PrP(Sc)). PrP(Sc) differ in sizes and glycoform patterns and can be identified using molecular typing with Western blotting. The electrophoretic mobility of PrP(Sc) changes on treatment with metal ions or chelators prior to digestion with proteases. The effects of chelators applied to PrP(Sc) after protease digestion had not been examined in detail, we investigated these effects in this study. Application of EDTA, NTA and DTPA, and to a lesser extent EGTA, significantly enhanced PrP(Sc) signals in immunoblots. PrP(Sc) intensities increased two- to three-fold compared with untreated PrP(Sc). Since the immunoblot method is highly specific, sensitivity is the limiting factor. Enhancing sensitivity might be important in the determination of PrP(Sc) at levels close to or just below the limits of detection. It is to be expected that application of chelators to digested protein samples will increase the sensitivity of PrP(Sc) detection using the Western blot technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Kuczius
- Institute for Hygiene, University Hospital Muenster, Robert Koch-Str. 41, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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37
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Gretzschel A, Buschmann A, Langeveld J, Groschup MH. Immunological characterization of abnormal prion protein from atypical scrapie cases in sheep using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. J Gen Virol 2006; 87:3715-3722. [PMID: 17098989 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.81816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
After the implementation of an active surveillance programme for scrapie in sheep in the EU, the number of diagnosed classical scrapie cases rose sharply and a novel kind of so-called atypical scrapie case was discovered. These atypical scrapie cases display unusual features concerning the distribution of the abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) in the brain, a distinct electrophoretic profile of PrP(Sc) and an inconsistent reaction pattern in the currently used rapid tests. In this report, PrP(Sc) of two German atypical sheep scrapie cases was characterized by epitope mapping using a panel of 18 monoclonal antibodies that were directed against epitopes located throughout the prion protein. This analysis suggests that PrP(Sc) derived from atypical scrapie cases and treated with proteinase K is largely composed of an 11 kDa fragment (previously referred to as the 12 kDa band) and of polymeric fragments thereof. The 11 kDa band corresponds to a prion protein fragment spanning approximately aa 90-153 and may therefore represent a novel PrP(Sc) type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Gretzschel
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anne Buschmann
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jan Langeveld
- Central Institute for Animal Disease Control, PO Box 2004, 8203 AA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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38
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Lühken G, Buschmann A, Brandt H, Eiden M, Groschup MH, Erhardt G. Epidemiological and genetical differences between classical and atypical scrapie cases. Vet Res 2006; 38:65-80. [PMID: 17156738 DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2006046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2006] [Accepted: 09/13/2006] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiology and prion protein (PrP) genetics in scrapie-affected sheep flocks in Germany. For this purpose, 224 German scrapie cases in sheep diagnosed between January 2002 and February 2006 were classified as classical or atypical scrapie and the amino acids at codons 136, 141, 154 and 171 were determined. Likewise, representative numbers of flock mates were genotyped. Significant epidemiological differences were observed between classical and atypical scrapie cases in regard to the numbers of scrapie-affected sheep within a flock, the sizes of flocks with only a single scrapie-positive sheep or more than one scrapie-positive sheep and the age distribution of the scrapie-positive sheep. Sheep with the ARQ/ARQ genotype had by far the highest risk for acquiring classical scrapie, but the risk for atypical scrapie was the highest for sheep carrying phenylalanine (F) at position 141 (AF(141)RQ) and/or the AHQ haplotype. However, atypical scrapie also occurred with a notable frequency in sheep with the PrP haplotypes ARR and/or ARQ in combination with Leucine at position 141 (AL(141)RQ). Furthermore, six atypical scrapie-positive sheep carried the PrP genotype ARR/ARR. The high proportion of sheep flocks affected by atypical scrapie underscores the importance of this scrapie type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gesine Lühken
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
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39
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Kupfer L, Eiden M, Buschmann A, Groschup MH. Amino acid sequence and prion strain specific effects on the in vitro and in vivo convertibility of ovine/murine and bovine/murine prion protein chimeras. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2006; 1772:704-13. [PMID: 17145171 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2006.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2006] [Revised: 10/02/2006] [Accepted: 10/12/2006] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterised by the conversion of a cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) by its misfolded, hence pathogenic, isoform (PrP(Sc)). The efficiency of this transition depends on the molecular similarities between both interaction partners and on the intrinsic convertibility of PrP(C). Transgenic mice expressing chimeric murine/ovine PrP(C) (Tgmushp mice) are susceptible to BSE and/or scrapie prions of bovine or ovine origin while transgenic mice expressing similar murine/bovine PrP(C) chimera (Tgmubo mice) are essentially resistant. We have studied this phenomenon by cell-free conversion on procaryotically expressed chimeric PrP(C). Mouse passaged scrapie or BSE PrP(Sc) was used as a seed and the conversion reaction was carried out under semi-native conditions. The results obtained in this assay were similar to those of our in vivo experiments. Since mubo- and mushp-PrP(C) differ only at four amino acid positions (S96G, N142S, Y154H and Q185E), single or double point mutations of mushp-PrP(C) were examined in the cell-free conversion assay. While the scrapie Me7 prion induced conversion was largely reduced by the N142S and Q185E but not by the S96G and Y154H mutation, the BSE induced conversion was retained in all mutants. Newly formed PrP(res) exhibited strain specific characteristics, such as the localisation of the proteinase K cleavage site, even in the chimeric PrP(C) mutants. We therefore postulate that the efficiency of the conversion of chimeric PrP(C) depends on the amino acid sequence as well as on prion strain specific effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Kupfer
- Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Boddenblick 5a, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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40
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Buschmann A, Gretzschel A, Biacabe AG, Schiebel K, Corona C, Hoffmann C, Eiden M, Baron T, Casalone C, Groschup MH. Atypical BSE in Germany--proof of transmissibility and biochemical characterization. Vet Microbiol 2006; 117:103-16. [PMID: 16916588 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2006] [Revised: 05/23/2006] [Accepted: 06/02/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Intensive active surveillance has uncovered two atypical German BSE cases in older cattle which resemble the two different atypical BSE phenotypes that have recently been described in France (designated H-type) and Italy (designated L-type or BASE). The H-type is characterized by a significantly higher molecular size, but a conventional glycopattern of the proteinase K treated abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)), while the L-type PrP(Sc) has only a slightly lower molecular size and a distinctly different glycopattern. In this paper we describe the successful transmission of both German atypical BSE cases to transgenic mice overexpressing bovine PrP(C). Upon challenge with the L-type, these mice developed BSE after a substantially shorter incubation period than any classical BSE transmission using these mice to date. In contrast, the incubation period was distinctly prolonged when these mice were challenged with the H-type. PrP(Sc) accumulated in the brains of these mice were of the same atypical BSE type that had been used for the transmission. These atypical cases suggest the possible existence of sporadic BSE cases in bovines. It is thus feasible that the BSE epidemic in the UK could have also been initiated by an intraspecies transmission from a sporadic BSE case.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Buschmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Boddenblick 5a, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
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41
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Lühken G, Brandt HR, Buschmann A, Groschup MH, Erhardt G. Microsatellite CTSBJ12 is located distal to the ovine prion protein gene on OAR13 and is not associated with scrapie susceptibility. Anim Genet 2006; 37:426-7. [PMID: 16879367 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01465.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G Lühken
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
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