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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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Benestad SL, Tran L, Malzahn AM, Liland NS, Belghit I, Hagemann A. Retention of prions in the polychaete Hediste diversicolor and black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larvae after short-term experimental immersion and feeding with brain homogenate from scrapie infected sheep. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34848. [PMID: 39170463 PMCID: PMC11336280 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34848] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Finding alternative protein and lipid sources for aquafeeds is crucial for the sustainable growth of fed aquaculture. Upcycling industrial side streams and byproducts using extractive species can reduce waste and help reduce the sector's dependence on fish meal and fish oils. Polychaete worms (Hediste diversicolor) and black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) are promising candidates for converting waste materials into valuable protein and lipid sources. However, further research and evaluations are needed to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of these alternative feed sources, especially regarding prions spreading potential in the unlikely case that prions would be introduced in the value chain via feedstocks. In the present investigation, BSFL and juvenile polychaetes that had received a massive dose of scrapie prions through immersion and oral inoculation were found to harbour detectable prions using an ultrasensitive amplification method known as PMCA. This observation suggests that both H. diversicolor and BSFL have the potential to serve as mechanical vectors for prions diseases. However, it is important to note that insects, lacking the prion protein gene, are incapable of propagating prions. Therefore, the quantity of prions present in the larvae will inevitably be lower than the amount of prions they encountered. This is the first study to report on the fate of prions through ingestion by these marine and terrestrial invertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linh Tran
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, 1431, Ås, Norway
| | - Arne M. Malzahn
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Fisheries and New Biomarine Industry, Brattørkaia 17C, 7010, Trondheim, Norway
- Institute of Marine Ecosystem and Fishery Science, University of Hamburg, 22767, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina S. Liland
- Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ikram Belghit
- Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andreas Hagemann
- SINTEF Ocean, Department of Fisheries and New Biomarine Industry, Brattørkaia 17C, 7010, Trondheim, Norway
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3
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Lockshin ER, Calakos N. The integrated stress response in brain diseases: A double-edged sword for proteostasis and synapses. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 87:102886. [PMID: 38901329 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102886] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The integrated stress response (ISR) is a highly conserved biochemical pathway that regulates protein synthesis. The ISR is activated in response to diverse stressors to restore cellular homeostasis. As such, the ISR is implicated in a wide range of diseases, including brain disorders. However, in the brain, the ISR also has potent influence on processes beyond proteostasis, namely synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. Thus, in the setting of brain diseases, ISR activity may have dual effects on proteostasis and synaptic function. In this review, we consider the ISR's contribution to brain disorders through the lens of its potential effects on synaptic plasticity. From these examples, we illustrate that at times ISR activity may be a "double-edged sword". We also highlight its potential as a therapeutic target to improve circuit function in brain diseases independent of its role in disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana R Lockshin
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Nicole Calakos
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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4
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Medd MM, Cao Q. Perspectives on CRISPR Genome Editing to Prevent Prion Diseases in High-Risk Individuals. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1725. [PMID: 39200190 PMCID: PMC11352000 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12081725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolded prion proteins. Although rare, the said diseases are always fatal; they commonly cause death within months of developing clinical symptoms, and their diagnosis is exceptionally difficult pre-mortem. There are no known cures or treatments other than symptomatic care. Given the aggressiveness of prion diseases on onset, therapies after disease onset could be challenging. Prevention to reduce the incidence or to delay the disease onset has been suggested to be a more feasible approach. In this perspective article, we summarize our current understandings of the origin, risk factors, and clinical manifestations of prion diseases. We propose a PCR testing of the blood to identify PRNP gene polymorphisms at codons 129 and 127 in individuals with familial PRNP mutations to assess the risk. We further present the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing strategy as a perspective preventative approach for these high-risk individuals to induce a polymorphic change at codon 127 of the PRNP gene, granting immunity to prion diseases in selected high-risk individuals, in particular, in individuals with familial PRNP mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan M. Medd
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Qi Cao
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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5
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Thackray AM, McNulty EE, Nalls AV, Smith A, Comoy E, Telling G, Benestad SL, Andréoletti O, Mathiason CK, Bujdoso R. Lack of prion transmission barrier in human PrP transgenic Drosophila. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107617. [PMID: 39089583 PMCID: PMC11386037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
While animal prion diseases are a threat to human health, their zoonotic potential is generally inefficient because of interspecies prion transmission barriers. New animal models are required to provide an understanding of these prion transmission barriers and to assess the zoonotic potential of animal prion diseases. To address this goal, we generated Drosophila transgenic for human or nonhuman primate prion protein (PrP) and determined their susceptibility to known pathogenic prion diseases, namely varient Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) and classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and that with unknown pathogenic potential, namely chronic wasting disease (CWD). Adult Drosophila transgenic for M129 or V129 human PrP or nonhuman primate PrP developed a neurotoxic phenotype and showed an accelerated loss of survival after exposure to vCJD, classical BSE, or CWD prions at the larval stage. vCJD prion strain identity was retained after passage in both M129 and V129 human PrP Drosophila. All of the primate PrP fly lines accumulated prion seeding activity and concomitantly developed a neurotoxic phenotype, generally including accelerated loss of survival, after exposure to CWD prions derived from different cervid species, including North American white-tailed deer and muntjac, and European reindeer and moose. These novel studies show that primate PrP transgenic Drosophila lack known prion transmission barriers since, in mammalian hosts, V129 human PrP is associated with severe resistance to classical BSE prions, while both human and cynomolgus macaque PrP are associated with resistance to CWD prions. Significantly, our data suggest that interspecies differences in the amino acid sequence of PrP may not be a principal determinant of the prion transmission barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M Thackray
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Erin E McNulty
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy V Nalls
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Andrew Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emmanuel Comoy
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, DRF/IBFJ/SEPIA, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Glenn Telling
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Sylvie L Benestad
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for CWD (SLB), Department of Biohazard and Pathology, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ås, Norway
| | - Olivier Andréoletti
- UMR INRA ENVT 1225 -Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Candace K Mathiason
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Raymond Bujdoso
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Hummerich H, Speedy H, Campbell T, Darwent L, Hill E, Collins S, Stehmann C, Kovacs GG, Geschwind MD, Frontzek K, Budka H, Gelpi E, Aguzzi A, van der Lee SJ, van Duijn CM, Liberski PP, Calero M, Sanchez-Juan P, Bouaziz-Amar E, Laplanche JL, Haïk S, Brandel JP, Mammana A, Capellari S, Poleggi A, Ladogana A, Pocchiari M, Zafar S, Booth S, Jansen GH, Areškevičiūtė A, Løbner Lund E, Glisic K, Parchi P, Hermann P, Zerr I, Appleby BS, Safar J, Gambetti P, Collinge J, Mead S. Genome wide association study of clinical duration and age at onset of sporadic CJD. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304528. [PMID: 39079175 PMCID: PMC11280162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Human prion diseases are rare, transmissible and often rapidly progressive dementias. The most common type, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), is highly variable in clinical duration and age at onset. Genetic determinants of late onset or slower progression might suggest new targets for research and therapeutics. We assembled and array genotyped sCJD cases diagnosed in life or at autopsy. Clinical duration (median:4, interquartile range (IQR):2.5-9 (months)) was available in 3,773 and age at onset (median:67, IQR:61-73 (years)) in 3,767 cases. Phenotypes were successfully transformed to approximate normal distributions allowing genome-wide analysis without statistical inflation. 53 SNPs achieved genome-wide significance for the clinical duration phenotype; all of which were located at chromosome 20 (top SNP rs1799990, pvalue = 3.45x10-36, beta = 0.34 for an additive model; rs1799990, pvalue = 9.92x10-67, beta = 0.84 for a heterozygous model). Fine mapping, conditional and expression analysis suggests that the well-known non-synonymous variant at codon 129 is the obvious outstanding genome-wide determinant of clinical duration. Pathway analysis and suggestive loci are described. No genome-wide significant SNP determinants of age at onset were found, but the HS6ST3 gene was significant (pvalue = 1.93 x 10-6) in a gene-based test. We found no evidence of genome-wide genetic correlation between case-control (disease risk factors) and case-only (determinants of phenotypes) studies. Relative to other common genetic variants, PRNP codon 129 is by far the outstanding modifier of CJD survival suggesting only modest or rare variant effects at other genetic loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Hummerich
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Speedy
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tracy Campbell
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lee Darwent
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Hill
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven Collins
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, The Florey, Department of Medicine (RMH), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christiane Stehmann
- Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry, The Florey, Department of Medicine (RMH), The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gabor G. Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Toronto, Ontario, Toronto, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program & Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna and Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases (ÖRPE), Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael D. Geschwind
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Herbert Budka
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna and Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases (ÖRPE), Vienna, Austria
| | - Ellen Gelpi
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna and Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases (ÖRPE), Vienna, Austria
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sven J. van der Lee
- Section Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging, Department of Clinical Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia M. van Duijn
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pawel P. Liberski
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Miguel Calero
- Chronic Disease Programme (UFIEC-CROSADIS) and Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pascual Sanchez-Juan
- Alzheimer’s Centre Reina Sofia-CIEN Foundation-ISCIII, Research Platforms, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elodie Bouaziz-Amar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lariboisière Hospital, GHU AP-HP Nord, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Louis Laplanche
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lariboisière Hospital, GHU AP-HP Nord, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Haïk
- Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Cellule Nationale de Référence des Maladies de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Phillipe Brandel
- Paris Brain Institute (Institut du Cerveau, ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Cellule Nationale de Référence des Maladies de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Angela Mammana
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di 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
| | | | - Saima Zafar
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Center and National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany
- Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Department, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Stephanie Booth
- Prion Disease Program, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Gerard H. Jansen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Aušrinė Areškevičiūtė
- Danish Reference Center for Prion Diseases, Department of Pathology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eva Løbner Lund
- Danish Reference Center for Prion Diseases, Department of Pathology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katie Glisic
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Peter Hermann
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Center and National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Dementia Center and National Reference Center for CJD Surveillance, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Brian S. Appleby
- National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Jiri Safar
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Pierluigi Gambetti
- Departments of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit at University College London (UCL), Institute of Prion Diseases, UCL, London, United Kingdom
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7
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Bizingre C, Bianchi C, Baudry A, Alleaume-Butaux A, Schneider B, Pietri M. Post-translational modifications in prion diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1405415. [PMID: 39011540 PMCID: PMC11247024 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1405415] [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: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
More than 650 reversible and irreversible post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins have been listed so far. Canonical PTMs of proteins consist of the covalent addition of functional or chemical groups on target backbone amino-acids or the cleavage of the protein itself, giving rise to modified proteins with specific properties in terms of stability, solubility, cell distribution, activity, or interactions with other biomolecules. PTMs of protein contribute to cell homeostatic processes, enabling basal cell functions, allowing the cell to respond and adapt to variations of its environment, and globally maintaining the constancy of the milieu interieur (the body's inner environment) to sustain human health. Abnormal protein PTMs are, however, associated with several disease states, such as cancers, metabolic disorders, or neurodegenerative diseases. Abnormal PTMs alter the functional properties of the protein or even cause a loss of protein function. One example of dramatic PTMs concerns the cellular prion protein (PrPC), a GPI-anchored signaling molecule at the plasma membrane, whose irreversible post-translational conformational conversion (PTCC) into pathogenic prions (PrPSc) provokes neurodegeneration. PrPC PTCC into PrPSc is an additional type of PTM that affects the tridimensional structure and physiological function of PrPC and generates a protein conformer with neurotoxic properties. PrPC PTCC into PrPSc in neurons is the first step of a deleterious sequence of events at the root of a group of neurodegenerative disorders affecting both humans (Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases for the most representative diseases) and animals (scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cow, and chronic wasting disease in elk and deer). There are currently no therapies to block PrPC PTCC into PrPSc and stop neurodegeneration in prion diseases. Here, we review known PrPC PTMs that influence PrPC conversion into PrPSc. We summarized how PrPC PTCC into PrPSc impacts the PrPC interactome at the plasma membrane and the downstream intracellular controlled protein effectors, whose abnormal activation or trafficking caused by altered PTMs promotes neurodegeneration. We discussed these effectors as candidate drug targets for prion diseases and possibly other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Bizingre
- INSERM UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
| | - Clara Bianchi
- INSERM UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
| | - Anne Baudry
- INSERM UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
| | | | - Benoit Schneider
- INSERM UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, CNRS UMR7654, Palaiseau, France
| | - Mathéa Pietri
- INSERM UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UMR-S 1124, Paris, France
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8
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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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9
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Walsh DJ, Rees JR, Mehra S, Bourkas MEC, Kaczmarczyk L, Stuart E, Jackson WS, Watts JC, Supattapone S. Anti-prion drugs do not improve survival in novel knock-in models of inherited prion disease. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012087. [PMID: 38557815 PMCID: PMC10984475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012087] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases uniquely manifest in three distinct forms: inherited, sporadic, and infectious. Wild-type prions are responsible for the sporadic and infectious versions, while mutant prions cause inherited variants like fatal familial insomnia (FFI) and familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (fCJD). Although some drugs can prolong prion incubation times up to four-fold in rodent models of infectious prion diseases, no effective treatments for FFI and fCJD have been found. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of various anti-prion drugs on newly-developed knock-in mouse models for FFI and fCJD. These models express bank vole prion protein (PrP) with the pathogenic D178N and E200K mutations. We applied various drug regimens known to be highly effective against wild-type prions in vivo as well as a brain-penetrant compound that inhibits mutant PrPSc propagation in vitro. None of the regimens tested (Anle138b, IND24, Anle138b + IND24, cellulose ether, and PSCMA) significantly extended disease-free survival or prevented mutant PrPSc accumulation in either knock-in mouse model, despite their ability to induce strain adaptation of mutant prions. Our results show that anti-prion drugs originally developed to treat infectious prion diseases do not necessarily work for inherited prion diseases, and that the recombinant sPMCA is not a reliable platform for identifying compounds that target mutant prions. This work underscores the need to develop therapies and validate screening assays specifically for mutant prions, as well as anti-prion strategies that are not strain-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Walsh
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Judy R. Rees
- Department of Epidemiology Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- Department of Community and Family Medicine Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Surabhi Mehra
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew E. C. Bourkas
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lech Kaczmarczyk
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Erica Stuart
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Walker S. Jackson
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Joel C. Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Surachai Supattapone
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
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10
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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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11
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Pasala C, Sharma S, Roychowdhury T, Moroni E, Colombo G, Chiosis G. N-Glycosylation as a Modulator of Protein Conformation and Assembly in Disease. Biomolecules 2024; 14:282. [PMID: 38540703 PMCID: PMC10968129 DOI: 10.3390/biom14030282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation, a prevalent post-translational modification, plays a pivotal role in regulating intricate cellular processes by covalently attaching glycans to macromolecules. Dysregulated glycosylation is linked to a spectrum of diseases, encompassing cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, congenital disorders, infections, and inflammation. This review delves into the intricate interplay between glycosylation and protein conformation, with a specific focus on the profound impact of N-glycans on the selection of distinct protein conformations characterized by distinct interactomes-namely, protein assemblies-under normal and pathological conditions across various diseases. We begin by examining the spike protein of the SARS virus, illustrating how N-glycans regulate the infectivity of pathogenic agents. Subsequently, we utilize the prion protein and the chaperone glucose-regulated protein 94 as examples, exploring instances where N-glycosylation transforms physiological protein structures into disease-associated forms. Unraveling these connections provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic avenues and a deeper comprehension of the molecular intricacies that underlie disease conditions. This exploration of glycosylation's influence on protein conformation effectively bridges the gap between the glycome and disease, offering a comprehensive perspective on the therapeutic implications of targeting conformational mutants and their pathologic assemblies in various diseases. The goal is to unravel the nuances of these post-translational modifications, shedding light on how they contribute to the intricate interplay between protein conformation, assembly, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiranjeevi Pasala
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Sahil Sharma
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Tanaya Roychowdhury
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- The Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), 20131 Milano, Italy; (E.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- The Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), 20131 Milano, Italy; (E.M.); (G.C.)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gabriela Chiosis
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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12
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Albert-Gasco H, Smith HL, Alvarez-Castelao B, Swinden D, Halliday M, Janaki-Raman S, Butcher AJ, Mallucci GR. Trazodone rescues dysregulated synaptic and mitochondrial nascent proteomes in prion neurodegeneration. Brain 2024; 147:649-664. [PMID: 37703312 PMCID: PMC10834243 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is rapidly gaining momentum as a therapeutic target for protein misfolding neurodegenerative diseases, in which its overactivation results in sustained translational repression leading to synapse loss and neurodegeneration. In mouse models of these disorders, from Alzheimer's to prion disease, modulation of the pathway-including by the licensed drug, trazodone-restores global protein synthesis rates with profound neuroprotective effects. However, the precise nature of the translational impairment, in particular the specific proteins affected in disease, and their response to therapeutic UPR modulation are poorly understood. We used non-canonical amino acid tagging (NCAT) to measure de novo protein synthesis in the brains of prion-diseased mice with and without trazodone treatment, in both whole hippocampus and cell-specifically. During disease the predominant nascent proteome changes occur in synaptic, cytoskeletal and mitochondrial proteins in both hippocampal neurons and astrocytes. Remarkably, trazodone treatment for just 2 weeks largely restored the whole disease nascent proteome in the hippocampus to that of healthy, uninfected mice, predominantly with recovery of proteins involved in synaptic and mitochondrial function. In parallel, trazodone treatment restored the disease-associated decline in synapses and mitochondria and their function to wild-type levels. In conclusion, this study increases our understanding of how translational repression contributes to neurodegeneration through synaptic and mitochondrial toxicity via depletion of key proteins essential for their function. Further, it provides new insights into the neuroprotective mechanisms of trazodone through reversal of this toxicity, relevant for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases via translational modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector Albert-Gasco
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
| | - Heather L Smith
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
| | - Beatriz Alvarez-Castelao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- The San Carlos Hospital Health Research Institute, IdISSC, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Dean Swinden
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
| | - Mark Halliday
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
| | | | - Adrian J Butcher
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
| | - Giovanna R Mallucci
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Science, Altos Labs, Great Abington CB21 6GP, UK
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13
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Williams K, Foliaki ST, Race B, Smith A, Thomas T, Groveman BR, Haigh CL. Neural cell engraftment therapy for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease restores neuroelectrophysiological parameters in a cerebral organoid model. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:348. [PMID: 38049877 PMCID: PMC10696693 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03591-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common human prion disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with currently no treatment options. Stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases is emerging as a possible treatment option. However, while there are a few clinical trials for other neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, prion disease cell therapy research has so far been confined to animal models. METHODS Here, we use a novel approach to study cell therapies in sCJD using a human cerebral organoid model. Cerebral organoids can be infected with sCJD prions allowing us to assess how neural precursor cell (NPC) therapy impacts the progression of sCJD. After 90 days of sCJD or mock infection, organoids were either seeded with NPCs or left unseeded and monitored for cellular composition changes, prion infection parameters and neuroelectrophysiological function at 180 days post-infection. RESULTS Our results showed NPCs integrated into organoids leading to an increase in neuronal markers and changes in cell signaling irrespective of sCJD infection. Although a small, but significant, decrease in protease-resistant PrP deposition was observed in the CJD-infected organoids that received the NPCs, other disease-associated parameters showed minimal changes. However, the NPCs had a beneficial impact on organoid function following infection. sCJD infection caused reduction in neuronal spike rate and mean burst spike rate, indicative of reduced action potentials. NPC seeding restored these electrophysiological parameters to the uninfected control level. CONCLUSIONS Together with the previous animal studies, our results support that cell therapy may have some functional benefit for the treatment of human prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Williams
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Simote T Foliaki
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Anna Smith
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Tina Thomas
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Bradley R Groveman
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Cathryn L Haigh
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4Th Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA.
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14
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Thackray AM, McNulty EE, Nalls AV, Cardova A, Tran L, Telling G, Benestad SL, Gilch S, Mathiason CK, Bujdoso R. Genetic modulation of CWD prion propagation in cervid PrP Drosophila. Biochem J 2023; 480:1485-1501. [PMID: 37747806 PMCID: PMC10586768 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal prion condition of cervids such as deer, elk, moose and reindeer. Secretion and excretion of prion infectivity from North American cervids with this condition causes environmental contamination and subsequent efficient lateral transmission in free-ranging and farmed cervids. Variants of cervid PrP exist that affect host susceptibility to chronic wasting disease. Cervid breeding programmes aimed at increasing the frequency of PrP variants associated with resistance to chronic wasting disease may reduce the burden of this condition in animals and lower the risk of zoonotic disease. This strategy requires a relatively rapid and economically viable model system to characterise and support selection of prion disease-modifying cervid PrP variants. Here, we generated cervid PrP transgenic Drosophila to fulfil this purpose. We have generated Drosophila transgenic for S138 wild type cervid PrP, or the N138 variant associated with resistance to chronic wasting disease. We show that cervid PrP Drosophila accumulate bona fide prion infectivity after exposure to cervid prions. Furthermore, S138 and N138 PrP fly lines are susceptible to cervid prion isolates from either North America or Europe when assessed phenotypically by accelerated loss of locomotor ability or survival, or biochemically by accumulation of prion seeding activity. However, after exposure to European reindeer prions, N138 PrP Drosophila accumulated prion seeding activity with slower kinetics than the S138 fly line. These novel data show that prion susceptibility characteristics of cervid PrP variants are maintained when expressed in Drosophila, which highlights this novel invertebrate host in modelling chronic wasting disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M. Thackray
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
| | - Erin E. McNulty
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Amy V. Nalls
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Alzbeta Cardova
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
| | - Linh Tran
- Department of Biohazard and Pathology, WOAH Reference Laboratory for CWD (SLB), National Veterinary Institute, Postboks 64, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Glenn Telling
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Sylvie L. Benestad
- Department of Biohazard and Pathology, WOAH Reference Laboratory for CWD (SLB), National Veterinary Institute, Postboks 64, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Candace K. Mathiason
- Prion Research Center (PRC) and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A
| | - Raymond Bujdoso
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, U.K
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15
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Zayed M, Kook SH, Jeong BH. Potential Therapeutic Use of Stem Cells for Prion Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:2413. [PMID: 37830627 PMCID: PMC10571911 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders that are progressive, incurable, and deadly. The prion consists of PrPSc, the misfolded pathogenic isoform of the cellular prion protein (PrPC). PrPC is involved in a variety of physiological functions, including cellular proliferation, adhesion, differentiation, and neural development. Prion protein is expressed on the membrane surface of a variety of stem cells (SCs), where it plays an important role in the pluripotency and self-renewal matrix, as well as in SC differentiation. SCs have been found to multiply the pathogenic form of the prion protein, implying their potential as an in vitro model for prion diseases. Furthermore, due to their capability to self-renew, differentiate, immunomodulate, and regenerate tissue, SCs are prospective cell treatments in many neurodegenerative conditions, including prion diseases. Regenerative medicine has become a new revolution in disease treatment in recent years, particularly with the introduction of SC therapy. Here, we review the data demonstrating prion diseases' biology and molecular mechanism. SC biology, therapeutic potential, and its role in understanding prion disease mechanisms are highlighted. Moreover, we summarize preclinical studies that use SCs in prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Zayed
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan 54531, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
- Department of Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Sung-Ho Kook
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Hoon Jeong
- Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan 54531, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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16
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Walsh DJ, Rees JR, Mehra S, Bourkas MEC, Kaczmarczyk L, Stuart E, Jackson WS, Watts JC, Supattapone S. Anti-prion drugs do not improve survival in knock-in models of inherited prion disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.28.559951. [PMID: 37808761 PMCID: PMC10557747 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.559951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases uniquely manifest in three distinct forms: inherited, sporadic, and infectious. Wild-type prions are responsible for the sporadic and infectious versions, while mutant prions cause inherited variants like fatal familial insomnia (FFI) and familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (fCJD). Although some drugs can prolong prion incubation times up to four-fold in rodent models of infectious prion diseases, no effective treatments for FFI and fCJD have been found. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of various anti-prion drugs on newly-developed knock-in mouse models for FFI and fCJD. These models express bank vole prion protein (PrP) with the pathogenic D178N and E200K mutations. We applied various drug regimens known to be highly effective against wild-type prions in vivo as well as a brain-penetrant compound that inhibits mutant PrP Sc propagation in vitro . None of the regimens tested (Anle138b, IND24, Anle138b + IND24, cellulose ether, and PSCMA) significantly extended disease-free survival or prevented mutant PrP Sc accumulation in either knock-in mouse model, despite their ability to induce strain adaptation of mutant prions. Paradoxically, the combination of Anle138b and IND24 appeared to accelerate disease by 16% and 26% in kiBVI E200K and kiBVI D178N mice, respectively, and accelerated the aggregation of mutant PrP molecules in vitro . Our results show that anti-prion drugs originally developed to treat infectious prion diseases do not necessarily work for inherited prion diseases, and that the recombinant sPMCA is not a reliable platform for identifying compounds that target mutant prions. This work underscores the need to develop therapies and validate screening assays specifically for mutant prions.
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17
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Masone A, Zucchelli C, Caruso E, Lavigna G, Eraña H, Giachin G, Tapella L, Comerio L, Restelli E, Raimondi I, Elezgarai SR, De Leo F, Quilici G, Taiarol L, Oldrati M, Lorenzo NL, García-Martínez S, Cagnotto A, Lucchetti J, Gobbi M, Vanni I, Nonno R, Di Bari MA, Tully MD, Cecatiello V, Ciossani G, Pasqualato S, Van Anken E, Salmona M, Castilla J, Requena JR, Banfi S, Musco G, Chiesa R. A tetracationic porphyrin with dual anti-prion activity. iScience 2023; 26:107480. [PMID: 37636075 PMCID: PMC10448035 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107480] [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: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prions are deadly infectious agents made of PrPSc, a misfolded variant of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) which self-propagates by inducing misfolding of native PrPC. PrPSc can adopt different pathogenic conformations (prion strains), which can be resistant to potential drugs, or acquire drug resistance, hampering the development of effective therapies. We identified Zn(II)-BnPyP, a tetracationic porphyrin that binds to distinct domains of native PrPC, eliciting a dual anti-prion effect. Zn(II)-BnPyP binding to a C-terminal pocket destabilizes the native PrPC fold, hindering conversion to PrPSc; Zn(II)-BnPyP binding to the flexible N-terminal tail disrupts N- to C-terminal interactions, triggering PrPC endocytosis and lysosomal degradation, thus reducing the substrate for PrPSc generation. Zn(II)-BnPyP inhibits propagation of different prion strains in vitro, in neuronal cells and organotypic brain cultures. These results identify a PrPC-targeting compound with an unprecedented dual mechanism of action which might be exploited to achieve anti-prion effects without engendering drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Masone
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Zucchelli
- Biomolecular NMR Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Caruso
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Giada Lavigna
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Hasier Eraña
- Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC BioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III National Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC), University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Laura Tapella
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Liliana Comerio
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Restelli
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Raimondi
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Saioa R. Elezgarai
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Federica De Leo
- Biomolecular NMR Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Quilici
- Biomolecular NMR Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Taiarol
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Marvin Oldrati
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Nuria L. Lorenzo
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Sandra García-Martínez
- Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC BioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Alfredo Cagnotto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Protein Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Lucchetti
- Laboratory of Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics, Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Gobbi
- Laboratory of Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics, Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Vanni
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Romolo Nonno
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Michele A. Di Bari
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Mark D. Tully
- Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Valentina Cecatiello
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ciossani
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Pasqualato
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Eelco Van Anken
- Protein Transport and Secretion Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Salmona
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Protein Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Joaquín Castilla
- Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC BioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Carlos III National Health Institute, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Jesús R. Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Stefano Banfi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Giovanna Musco
- Biomolecular NMR Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Chiesa
- Laboratory of Prion Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
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18
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Wess J, Oteng AB, Rivera-Gonzalez O, Gurevich EV, Gurevich VV. β-Arrestins: Structure, Function, Physiology, and Pharmacological Perspectives. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:854-884. [PMID: 37028945 PMCID: PMC10441628 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The two β-arrestins, β-arrestin-1 and -2 (systematic names: arrestin-2 and -3, respectively), are multifunctional intracellular proteins that regulate the activity of a very large number of cellular signaling pathways and physiologic functions. The two proteins were discovered for their ability to disrupt signaling via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) via binding to the activated receptors. However, it is now well recognized that both β-arrestins can also act as direct modulators of numerous cellular processes via either GPCR-dependent or -independent mechanisms. Recent structural, biophysical, and biochemical studies have provided novel insights into how β-arrestins bind to activated GPCRs and downstream effector proteins. Studies with β-arrestin mutant mice have identified numerous physiologic and pathophysiological processes regulated by β-arrestin-1 and/or -2. Following a short summary of recent structural studies, this review primarily focuses on β-arrestin-regulated physiologic functions, with particular focus on the central nervous system and the roles of β-arrestins in carcinogenesis and key metabolic processes including the maintenance of glucose and energy homeostasis. This review also highlights potential therapeutic implications of these studies and discusses strategies that could prove useful for targeting specific β-arrestin-regulated signaling pathways for therapeutic purposes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The two β-arrestins, structurally closely related intracellular proteins that are evolutionarily highly conserved, have emerged as multifunctional proteins able to regulate a vast array of cellular and physiological functions. The outcome of studies with β-arrestin mutant mice and cultured cells, complemented by novel insights into β-arrestin structure and function, should pave the way for the development of novel classes of therapeutically useful drugs capable of regulating specific β-arrestin functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Wess
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Antwi-Boasiako Oteng
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Osvaldo Rivera-Gonzalez
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Eugenia V Gurevich
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
| | - Vsevolod V Gurevich
- Molecular Signaling Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland (J.W., A.-B.O., O.R.-G.); and Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee (E.V.G., V.V.G.)
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19
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Aguilar-Calvo P, Malik A, Sandoval DR, Barback C, Orrù CD, Standke HG, Thomas OR, Dwyer CA, Pizzo DP, Bapat J, Soldau K, Ogawa R, Riley MB, Nilsson KPR, Kraus A, Caughey B, Iliff JJ, Vera DR, Esko JD, Sigurdson CJ. Neuronal Ndst1 depletion accelerates prion protein clearance and slows neurodegeneration in prion infection. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011487. [PMID: 37747931 PMCID: PMC10586673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011487] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Select prion diseases are characterized by widespread cerebral plaque-like deposits of amyloid fibrils enriched in heparan sulfate (HS), a abundant extracellular matrix component. HS facilitates fibril formation in vitro, yet how HS impacts fibrillar plaque growth within the brain is unclear. Here we found that prion-bound HS chains are highly sulfated, and that the sulfation is essential for accelerating prion conversion in vitro. Using conditional knockout mice to deplete the HS sulfation enzyme, Ndst1 (N-deacetylase / N-sulfotransferase) from neurons or astrocytes, we investigated how reducing HS sulfation impacts survival and prion aggregate distribution during a prion infection. Neuronal Ndst1-depleted mice survived longer and showed fewer and smaller parenchymal plaques, shorter fibrils, and increased vascular amyloid, consistent with enhanced aggregate transit toward perivascular drainage channels. The prolonged survival was strain-dependent, affecting mice infected with extracellular, plaque-forming, but not membrane bound, prions. Live PET imaging revealed rapid clearance of recombinant prion protein monomers into the CSF of neuronal Ndst1- deficient mice, neuronal, further suggesting that HS sulfate groups hinder transit of extracellular prion protein monomers. Our results directly show how a host cofactor slows the spread of prion protein through the extracellular space and identify an enzyme to target to facilitate aggregate clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adela Malik
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Daniel R. Sandoval
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher Barback
- Department of Radiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Christina D. Orrù
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Heidi G. Standke
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Olivia R. Thomas
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Chrissa A. Dwyer
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Donald P. Pizzo
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jaidev Bapat
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Katrin Soldau
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ryotaro Ogawa
- Department of Radiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Mckenzie B. Riley
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - K. Peter R. Nilsson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey J. Iliff
- VISN 20 NW Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - David R. Vera
- Department of Radiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D. Esko
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Christina J. Sigurdson
- Department of Pathology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, UC Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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20
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Mortberg MA, Gentile JE, Nadaf N, Vanderburg C, Simmons S, Dubinsky D, Slamin A, Maldonado S, Petersen C, Jones N, Kordasiewicz H, Zhao H, Vallabh S, Minikel E. A single-cell map of antisense oligonucleotide activity in the brain. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:7109-7124. [PMID: 37188501 PMCID: PMC10415122 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) dosed into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) distribute broadly throughout the central nervous system (CNS). By modulating RNA, they hold the promise of targeting root molecular causes of disease and hold potential to treat myriad CNS disorders. Realization of this potential requires that ASOs must be active in the disease-relevant cells, and ideally, that monitorable biomarkers also reflect ASO activity in these cells. The biodistribution and activity of such centrally delivered ASOs have been deeply characterized in rodent and non-human primate (NHP) models, but usually only in bulk tissue, limiting our understanding of the distribution of ASO activity across individual cells and across diverse CNS cell types. Moreover, in human clinical trials, target engagement is usually monitorable only in a single compartment, CSF. We sought a deeper understanding of how individual cells and cell types contribute to bulk tissue signal in the CNS, and how these are linked to CSF biomarker outcomes. We employed single nucleus transcriptomics on tissue from mice treated with RNase H1 ASOs against Prnp and Malat1 and NHPs treated with an ASO against PRNP. Pharmacologic activity was observed in every cell type, though sometimes with substantial differences in magnitude. Single cell RNA count distributions implied target RNA suppression in every single sequenced cell, rather than intense knockdown in only some cells. Duration of action up to 12 weeks post-dose differed across cell types, being shorter in microglia than in neurons. Suppression in neurons was generally similar to, or more robust than, the bulk tissue. In macaques, PrP in CSF was lowered 40% in conjunction with PRNP knockdown across all cell types including neurons, arguing that a CSF biomarker readout is likely to reflect ASO pharmacodynamic effect in disease-relevant cells in a neuronal disorder. Our results provide a reference dataset for ASO activity distribution in the CNS and establish single nucleus sequencing as a method for evaluating cell type specificity of oligonucleotide therapeutics and other modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith A Mortberg
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Juliana E Gentile
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Naeem M Nadaf
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Charles Vanderburg
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sean Simmons
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Dan Dubinsky
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Adam Slamin
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Salome Maldonado
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Caroline L Petersen
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Nichole Jones
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | | | - Hien T Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA 92010, 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
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA 02139, 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
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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21
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Concha-Marambio L, Wang F, Armijo E, Gorski D, Ramirez F, Scowcroft A, Pritzkow S, Soto C. Development of a methodology for large-scale production of prions for biological and structural studies. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1184029. [PMID: 37635939 PMCID: PMC10449461 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1184029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of infectious neurodegenerative diseases produced by the conversion of the normal prion protein (PrPC) into the disease-associated form (PrPSc). Extensive evidence indicate that the main or sole component of the infectious agent is PrPSc, which can replicate in affected individuals in the absence of nucleic acids. However, the mechanism of PrPC-to-PrPSc conversion remains elusive, which has been attributed to the lack of sufficient structural information of infectious PrPSc and a reliable system to study prion replication in vitro. In this article we adapted the Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA) technology for rapid and efficient generation of highly infectious prions in large-scale. Murine prions of the RML strain were efficiently propagated in volumes up to 1,000-fold larger than conventional PMCA. The large-scale PMCA (LS-PMCA) procedure enabled to produce highly infectious prions, which maintain the strain properties of the seed used to begin the reaction. LS-PMCA was shown to work with various species and strains of prions, including mouse RML and 301C strains, hamster Hyper prion, cervid CWD prions, including a rare Norwegian CWD prion, and human CJD prions. We further improved the LS-PMCA into a bioreactor format that can operate under industry-mimicking conditions for continuous and unlimited production of PrPSc without the need to keep adding brain-derived prions. In our estimation, this bioreactor can produce in 1d an amount of prions equivalent to that present in 25 infected animals at the terminal stage of the disease. Our LS-PMCA technology may provide a valuable tool to produce large quantities of well-defined and homogeneous infectious prions for biological and structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Concha-Marambio
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
- Amprion Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Enrique Armijo
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Damian Gorski
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Frank Ramirez
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Andrew Scowcroft
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sandra Pritzkow
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Claudio Soto
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Brain Disorders, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
- Amprion Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
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22
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Baiardi S, Mammana A, Capellari S, Parchi P. Human prion disease: molecular pathogenesis, and possible therapeutic targets and strategies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:1271-1284. [PMID: 37334903 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2199923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human prion diseases are heterogeneous, and often rapidly progressive, transmissible neurodegenerative disorders associated with misfolded prion protein (PrP) aggregation and self-propagation. Despite their rarity, prion diseases comprise a broad spectrum of phenotypic variants determined at the molecular level by different conformers of misfolded PrP and host genotype variability. Moreover, they uniquely occur in idiopathic, genetically determined, and acquired forms with distinct etiologies. AREA COVERED This review provides an up-to-date overview of potential therapeutic targets in prion diseases and the main results obtained in cell and animal models and human trials. The open issues and challenges associated with developing effective therapies and informative clinical trials are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Currently tested therapeutic strategies target the cellular PrP to prevent the formation of misfolded PrP or to favor its elimination. Among them, passive immunization and gene therapy with antisense oligonucleotides against prion protein mRNA are the most promising. However, the disease's rarity, heterogeneity, and rapid progression profoundly frustrate the successful undertaking of well-powered therapeutic trials and patient identification in the asymptomatic or early stage before the development of significant brain damage. Thus, the most promising therapeutic goal to date is preventing or delaying phenoconversion in carriers of pathogenic mutations by lowering prion protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Baiardi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Mammana
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabina Capellari
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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23
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Lawrence JA, Aguilar-Calvo P, Ojeda-Juárez D, Khuu H, Soldau K, Pizzo DP, Wang J, Malik A, Shay TF, Sullivan EE, Aulston B, Song SM, Callender JA, Sanchez H, Geschwind MD, Roy S, Rissman RA, Trejo J, Tanaka N, Wu C, Chen X, Patrick GN, Sigurdson CJ. Diminished Neuronal ESCRT-0 Function Exacerbates AMPA Receptor Derangement and Accelerates Prion-Induced Neurodegeneration. J Neurosci 2023; 43:3970-3984. [PMID: 37019623 PMCID: PMC10219035 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1878-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolysosomal defects in neurons are central to the pathogenesis of prion and other neurodegenerative disorders. In prion disease, prion oligomers traffic through the multivesicular body (MVB) and are routed for degradation in lysosomes or for release in exosomes, yet how prions impact proteostatic pathways is unclear. We found that prion-affected human and mouse brain showed a marked reduction in Hrs and STAM1 (ESCRT-0), which route ubiquitinated membrane proteins from early endosomes into MVBs. To determine how the reduction in ESCRT-0 impacts prion conversion and cellular toxicity in vivo, we prion-challenged conditional knockout mice (male and female) having Hrs deleted from neurons, astrocytes, or microglia. The neuronal, but not astrocytic or microglial, Hrs-depleted mice showed a shortened survival and an acceleration in synaptic derangements, including an accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, deregulation of phosphorylated AMPA and metabotropic glutamate receptors, and profoundly altered synaptic structure, all of which occurred later in the prion-infected control mice. Finally, we found that neuronal Hrs (nHrs) depletion increased surface levels of the cellular prion protein, PrPC, which may contribute to the rapidly advancing disease through neurotoxic signaling. Taken together, the reduced Hrs in the prion-affected brain hampers ubiquitinated protein clearance at the synapse, exacerbates postsynaptic glutamate receptor deregulation, and accelerates neurodegeneration.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prion diseases are rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by prion aggregate spread through the central nervous system. Early disease features include ubiquitinated protein accumulation and synapse loss. Here, we investigate how prion aggregates alter ubiquitinated protein clearance pathways (ESCRT) in mouse and human prion-infected brain, discovering a marked reduction in Hrs. Using a prion-infection mouse model with neuronal Hrs (nHrs) depleted, we show that low neuronal Hrs is detrimental and markedly shortens survival time while accelerating synaptic derangements, including ubiquitinated protein accumulation, indicating that Hrs loss exacerbates prion disease progression. Additionally, Hrs depletion increases the surface distribution of prion protein (PrPC), linked to aggregate-induced neurotoxic signaling, suggesting that Hrs loss in prion disease accelerates disease through enhancing PrPC-mediated neurotoxic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Lawrence
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Patricia Aguilar-Calvo
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Daniel Ojeda-Juárez
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Helen Khuu
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Katrin Soldau
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Donald P Pizzo
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Adela Malik
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Timothy F Shay
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Erin E Sullivan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Brent Aulston
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Seung Min Song
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Julia A Callender
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
| | - Henry Sanchez
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Michael D Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Subhojit Roy
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Robert A Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - JoAnn Trejo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Nobuyuki Tanaka
- Division of Tumor Immunobiology, Miyagi Cancer Center Research Institute, Natori 981-1293, Japan
- Division of Tumor Immunobiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Chengbiao Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Xu Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Gentry N Patrick
- Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Christina J Sigurdson
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La, Jolla, California, 92093
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
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24
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Hay AJD, Latham AS, Mumford G, Hines AD, Risen S, Gordon E, Siebenaler C, Gilberto VS, Zabel MD, Moreno JA. Intranasally delivered mesenchymal stromal cells decrease glial inflammation early in prion disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1158408. [PMID: 37250395 PMCID: PMC10213210 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1158408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are an intriguing avenue for the treatment of neurological disorders due to their ability to migrate to sites of neuroinflammation and respond to paracrine signaling in those sites by secreting cytokines, growth factors, and other neuromodulators. We potentiated this ability by stimulating MSCs with inflammatory molecules, improving their migratory and secretory properties. We investigated the use of intranasally delivered adipose-derived MSCs (AdMSCs) in combating prion disease in a mouse model. Prion disease is a rare, lethal neurodegenerative disease that results from the misfolding and aggregation of the prion protein. Early signs of this disease include neuroinflammation, activation of microglia, and development of reactive astrocytes. Later stages of disease include development of vacuoles, neuronal loss, abundant aggregated prions, and astrogliosis. We demonstrate the ability of AdMSCs to upregulate anti-inflammatory genes and growth factors when stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) or prion-infected brain homogenates. We stimulated AdMSCs with TNFα and performed biweekly intranasal deliveries of AdMSCs on mice that had been intracranially inoculated with mouse-adapted prions. At early stages in disease, animals treated with AdMSCs showed decreased vacuolization throughout the brain. Expression of genes associated with Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and Nod-Like Receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome signaling were decreased in the hippocampus. AdMSC treatment promoted a quiescent state in hippocampal microglia by inducing changes in both number and morphology. Animals that received AdMSCs showed a decrease in both overall and reactive astrocyte number, and morphological changes indicative of homeostatic astrocytes. Although this treatment did not prolong survival or rescue neurons, it demonstrates the benefits of MSCs in combatting neuroinflammation and astrogliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arielle J. D. Hay
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Amanda S. Latham
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Genova Mumford
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Amelia D. Hines
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sydney Risen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Elizabeth Gordon
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Connor Siebenaler
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Vincenzo S. Gilberto
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Mark D. Zabel
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Julie A. Moreno
- Prion Research Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Brain Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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25
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Preußner M, Smith HL, Hughes D, Zhang M, Emmerichs A, Scalzitti S, Peretti D, Swinden D, Neumann A, Haltenhof T, Mallucci GR, Heyd F. ASO targeting RBM3 temperature-controlled poison exon splicing prevents neurodegeneration in vivo. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e17157. [PMID: 36946385 PMCID: PMC10165353 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202217157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly prevalent in the aging population, yet no disease-modifying treatments are currently available. Increasing the expression of the cold-shock protein RBM3 through therapeutic hypothermia is remarkably neuroprotective. However, systemic cooling poses a health risk, strongly limiting its clinical application. Selective upregulation of RBM3 at normothermia thus holds immense therapeutic potential. Here we identify a poison exon within the RBM3 gene that is solely responsible for its cold-induced expression. Genetic removal or antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated manipulation of this exon yields high RBM3 levels independent of cooling. Notably, a single administration of ASO to exclude the poison exon, using FDA-approved chemistry, results in long-lasting increased RBM3 expression in mouse brains. In prion-diseased mice, this treatment leads to remarkable neuroprotection, with prevention of neuronal loss and spongiosis despite high levels of disease-associated prion protein. Our promising results in mice support the possibility that RBM3-inducing ASOs might also deliver neuroprotection in humans in conditions ranging from acute brain injury to Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Preußner
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Heather L Smith
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Altos LabsCambridge Institute of ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Daniel Hughes
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Min Zhang
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Ann‐Kathrin Emmerichs
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Silvia Scalzitti
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Diego Peretti
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Dean Swinden
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Altos LabsCambridge Institute of ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Omiqa BioinformaticsBerlinGermany
| | - Tom Haltenhof
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Omiqa BioinformaticsBerlinGermany
| | - Giovanna R Mallucci
- UK Dementia Research Institute and Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Altos LabsCambridge Institute of ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Florian Heyd
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, RNA BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
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26
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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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27
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Napper S, Schatzl HM. Oral vaccination as a potential strategy to manage chronic wasting disease in wild cervid populations. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1156451. [PMID: 37122761 PMCID: PMC10140515 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1156451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a novel class of infectious disease based in the misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into a pathological, self-propagating isoform (PrPSc). These fatal, untreatable neurodegenerative disorders affect a variety of species causing scrapie in sheep and goats, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids, and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) in humans. Of the animal prion diseases, CWD is currently regarded as the most significant threat due its ongoing geographical spread, environmental persistence, uptake into plants, unpredictable evolution, and emerging evidence of zoonotic potential. The extensive efforts to manage CWD have been largely ineffective, highlighting the need for new disease management tools, including vaccines. Development of an effective CWD vaccine is challenged by the unique biology of these diseases, including the necessity, and associated dangers, of overcoming immune tolerance, as well the logistical challenges of vaccinating wild animals. Despite these obstacles, there has been encouraging progress towards the identification of safe, protective antigens as well as effective strategies of formulation and delivery that would enable oral delivery to wild cervids. In this review we highlight recent strategies for antigen selection and optimization, as well as considerations of various platforms for oral delivery, that will enable researchers to accelerate the rate at which candidate CWD vaccines are developed and evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Napper
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Hermann M. Schatzl
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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28
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Mortberg MA, Gentile JE, Nadaf N, Vanderburg C, Simmons S, Dubinsky D, Slamin A, Maldonado S, Petersen CL, Jones N, Kordasiewicz HB, Zhao HT, Vallabh SM, Minikel EV. A single-cell map of antisense oligonucleotide activity in the brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.14.528473. [PMID: 36824749 PMCID: PMC9948956 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.14.528473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) dosed into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) distribute broadly throughout the brain and hold the promise of treating myriad brain diseases by modulating RNA. CNS tissue is not routinely biopsied in living individuals, leading to reliance on CSF biomarkers to inform on drug target engagement. Animal models can link CSF biomarkers to brain parenchyma, but our understanding of how individual cells contribute to bulk tissue signal is limited. Here we employed single nucleus transcriptomics on tissue from mice treated with RNase H1 ASOs against Prnp and Malat1 and macaques treated with an ASO against PRNP . Activity was observed in every cell type, though sometimes with substantial differences in magnitude. Single cell RNA count distributions implied target suppression in every single sequenced cell, rather than intense knockdown in only some cells. Duration of action up to 12 weeks post-dose differed across cell types, being shorter in microglia than in neurons. Suppression in neurons was generally similar to, or more robust than, the bulk tissue. In macaques, PrP in CSF was lowered 40% in conjunction with PRNP knockdown across all cell types including neurons, arguing that a CSF biomarker readout is likely to reflect disease-relevant cells in a neuronal disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith A Mortberg
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Juliana E Gentile
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Naeem Nadaf
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Charles Vanderburg
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Sean Simmons
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard,Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Dan Dubinsky
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Adam Slamin
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Salome Maldonado
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Caroline L Petersen
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | - Nichole Jones
- Genomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02141, USA
| | | | - Hien T Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, 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 GeneralHospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, 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 GeneralHospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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29
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Identification of a Cardiac Glycoside Exhibiting Favorable Brain Bioavailability and Potency for Reducing Levels of the Cellular Prion Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314823. [PMID: 36499150 PMCID: PMC9736291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Several strands of investigation have established that a reduction in the levels of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a promising avenue for the treatment of prion diseases. We recently described an indirect approach for reducing PrPC levels that targets Na,K-ATPases (NKAs) with cardiac glycosides (CGs), causing cells to respond with the degradation of these pumps and nearby molecules, including PrPC. Because the therapeutic window of widely used CGs is narrow and their brain bioavailability is low, we set out to identify a CG with improved pharmacological properties for this indication. Starting with the CG known as oleandrin, we combined in silico modeling of CG binding poses within human NKA folds, CG structure-activity relationship (SAR) data, and predicted blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetrance scores to identify CG derivatives with improved characteristics. Focusing on C4'-dehydro-oleandrin as a chemically accessible shortlisted CG derivative, we show that it reaches four times higher levels in the brain than in the heart one day after subcutaneous administration, exhibits promising pharmacological properties, and suppresses steady-state PrPC levels by 84% in immortalized human cells that have been differentiated to acquire neural or astrocytic characteristics. Finally, we validate that the mechanism of action of this approach for reducing cell surface PrPC levels requires C4'-dehydro-oleandrin to engage with its cognate binding pocket within the NKA α subunit. The improved brain bioavailability of C4'-dehydro-oleandrin, combined with its relatively low toxicity, make this compound an attractive lead for brain CG indications and recommends its further exploration for the treatment of prion diseases.
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30
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Dwomoh L, Rossi M, Scarpa M, Khajehali E, Molloy C, Herzyk P, Mistry SN, Bottrill AR, Sexton PM, Christopoulos A, Conn J, Lindsley CW, Bradley SJ, Tobin AB. M 1 muscarinic receptor activation reduces the molecular pathology and slows the progression of prion-mediated neurodegenerative disease. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabm3720. [PMID: 36378750 PMCID: PMC7616172 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abm3720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Many dementias are propagated through the spread of "prion-like" misfolded proteins. This includes prion diseases themselves (such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), for which no treatments are available to slow or stop progression. The M1 acetylcholine muscarinic receptor (M1 receptor) is abundant in the brain, and its activity promotes cognitive function in preclinical models and in patients with AD. Here, we investigated whether activation of the M1 receptor might slow the progression of neurodegeneration associated with prion-like misfolded protein in a mouse model of prion disease. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of the hippocampus revealed that this model had a molecular profile that was similar to that of human neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Chronic enhancement of the activity of the M1 receptor with the positive allosteric modulator (PAM) VU0486846 reduced the abundance of prion-induced molecular markers of neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysregulation in the hippocampus and normalized the abundance of those associated with neurotransmission, including synaptic and postsynaptic signaling components. PAM treatment of prion-infected mice prolonged survival and maintained cognitive function. Thus, allosteric activation of M1 receptors may reduce the severity of neurodegenerative diseases caused by the prion-like propagation of misfolded protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Dwomoh
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Mario Rossi
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Miriam Scarpa
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Elham Khajehali
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Colin Molloy
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Pawel Herzyk
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Shailesh N Mistry
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Andrew R Bottrill
- Research Technology Platforms, University of Warwick, School of Life Sciences, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Patrick M Sexton
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Arthur Christopoulos
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Conn
- Warren Centre for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Warren Centre for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Sophie J Bradley
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Andrew B Tobin
- Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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31
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Reimann RR, Puzio M, Rosati A, Emmenegger M, Schneider BL, Valdés P, Huang D, Caflisch A, Aguzzi A. Rapid ex vivo reverse genetics identifies the essential determinants of prion protein toxicity. Brain Pathol 2022; 33:e13130. [PMID: 36329611 PMCID: PMC10041163 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular prion protein PrPC mediates the neurotoxicity of prions and other protein aggregates through poorly understood mechanisms. Antibody-derived ligands against the globular domain of PrPC (GDL) can also initiate neurotoxicity by inducing an intramolecular R208 -H140 hydrogen bond ("H-latch") between the α2-α3 and β2-α2 loops of PrPC . Importantly, GDL that suppresses the H-latch prolong the life of prion-infected mice, suggesting that GDL toxicity and prion infections exploit convergent pathways. To define the structural underpinnings of these phenomena, we transduced 19 individual PrPC variants to PrPC -deficient cerebellar organotypic cultured slices using adenovirus-associated viral vectors (AAV). We report that GDL toxicity requires a single N-proximal cationic residue (K27 or R27 ) within PrPC . Alanine substitution of K27 also prevented the toxicity of PrPC mutants that induce Shmerling syndrome, a neurodegenerative disease that is suppressed by co-expression of wild-type PrPC . K27 may represent an actionable target for compounds aimed at preventing prion-related neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martina Puzio
- Institute of Neuropathology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Antonella Rosati
- Institute of Neuropathology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Marc Emmenegger
- Institute of Neuropathology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Bernard L. Schneider
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Pamela Valdés
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Danzhi Huang
- Department of Biochemistry University of Zürich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Amedeo Caflisch
- Department of Biochemistry University of Zürich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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32
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Tahir W, Thapa S, Schatzl HM. Astrocyte in prion disease: a double-edged sword. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:1659-1665. [PMID: 35017412 PMCID: PMC8820723 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.332202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are infectious protein misfolding disorders of the central nervous system that result from misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the pathologic isoform PrPSc. Pathologic hallmarks of prion disease are depositions of pathological prion protein PrPSc, neuronal loss, spongiform degeneration and astrogliosis in the brain. Prion diseases affect human and animals, there is no effective therapy, and they invariably remain fatal. For a long time, neuronal loss was considered the sole reason for neurodegeneration in prion pathogenesis, and the contribution of non-neuronal cells like microglia and astrocytes was considered less important. Recent evidence suggests that neurodegeneration during prion pathogenesis is a consequence of a complex interplay between neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the brain, but the exact role of these non-neuronal cells during prion pathology is still elusive. Astrocytes are non-neuronal cells that regulate brain homeostasis under physiological conditions. However, astrocytes can deposit PrPSc aggregates and propagate prions in prion-infected brains. Additionally, sub-populations of reactive astrocytes that include neurotrophic and neurotoxic species have been identified, differentially expressed in the brain during prion infection. Revealing the exact role of astrocytes in prion disease is hampered by the lack of in vitro models of prion-infected astrocytes. Recently, we established a murine astrocyte cell line persistently infected with mouse-adapted prions, and showed how such astrocytes differentially process various prion strains. Considering the complexity of the role of astrocytes in prion pathogenesis, we need more in vitro and in vivo models for exploring the contribution of sub-populations of reactive astrocytes, their differential regulation of signaling cascades, and the interaction with neurons and microglia during prion pathogenesis. This will help to establish novel in vivo models and define new therapeutic targets against prion diseases. In this review, we will discuss the complex role of astrocytes in prion disease, the existing experimental resources, the challenges to analyze the contribution of astrocytes in prion disease pathogenesis, and future strategies to improve the understanding of their role in prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqas Tahir
- Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Simrika Thapa
- Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Hermann M. Schatzl
- Department of Comparative Biology & Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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33
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Ribeiro LW, Pietri M, Ardila-Osorio H, Baudry A, Boudet-Devaud F, Bizingre C, Arellano-Anaya ZE, Haeberlé AM, Gadot N, Boland S, Devineau S, Bailly Y, Kellermann O, Bencsik A, Schneider B. Titanium dioxide and carbon black nanoparticles disrupt neuronal homeostasis via excessive activation of cellular prion protein signaling. Part Fibre Toxicol 2022; 19:48. [PMID: 35840975 PMCID: PMC9284759 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-022-00490-x] [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: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epidemiological emerging evidence shows that human exposure to some nanosized materials present in the environment would contribute to the onset and/or progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The cellular and molecular mechanisms whereby nanoparticles would exert some adverse effects towards neurons and take part in AD pathology are nevertheless unknown. Results Here, we provide the prime evidence that titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon black (CB) nanoparticles (NPs) bind the cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC), a plasma membrane protein well known for its implication in prion diseases and prion-like diseases, such as AD. The interaction between TiO2- or CB-NPs and PrPC at the surface of neuronal cells grown in culture corrupts PrPC signaling function. This triggers PrPC-dependent activation of NADPH oxidase and subsequent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that alters redox equilibrium. Through PrPC interaction, NPs also promote the activation of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), which in turn provokes the internalization of the neuroprotective TACE α-secretase. This diverts TACE cleavage activity away from (i) TNFα receptors (TNFR), whose accumulation at the plasma membrane augments the vulnerability of NP-exposed neuronal cells to TNFα -associated inflammation, and (ii) the amyloid precursor protein APP, leading to overproduction of neurotoxic amyloid Aβ40/42 peptides. The silencing of PrPC or the pharmacological inhibition of PDK1 protects neuronal cells from TiO2- and CB-NPs effects regarding ROS production, TNFα hypersensitivity, and Aβ rise. Finally, we show that dysregulation of the PrPC-PDK1-TACE pathway likely occurs in the brain of mice injected with TiO2-NPs by the intra-cerebro-ventricular route as we monitor a rise of TNFR at the cell surface of several groups of neurons located in distinct brain areas. Conclusion Our in vitro and in vivo study thus posits for the first time normal cellular prion protein PrPC as being a neuronal receptor of TiO2- and CB-NPs and identifies PrPC-coupled signaling pathways by which those nanoparticles alter redox equilibrium, augment the intrinsic sensitivity of neurons to neuroinflammation, and provoke a rise of Aβ peptides. By identifying signaling cascades dysregulated by TiO2- and CB-NPs in neurons, our data shed light on how human exposure to some NPs might be related to AD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12989-022-00490-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz W Ribeiro
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Mathéa Pietri
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Hector Ardila-Osorio
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Anne Baudry
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - François Boudet-Devaud
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Chloé Bizingre
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Zaira E Arellano-Anaya
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Marie Haeberlé
- Institut Des Neurosciences Cellulaires Et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nicolas Gadot
- Plateforme Anatomopathologie Recherche, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon (CRCL), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, 69373, Lyon, France
| | - Sonja Boland
- CNRS UMR 8251, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle Et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Devineau
- CNRS UMR 8251, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle Et Adaptative, Université Paris Cité, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Yannick Bailly
- Institut Des Neurosciences Cellulaires Et Intégratives, CNRS UPR 3212, Université de Strasbourg, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Odile Kellermann
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France.,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Anna Bencsik
- ANSES Laboratoire de Lyon, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69364, Lyon, France
| | - Benoit Schneider
- INSERM, UMR-S 1124, 75006, Paris, France. .,UMR-S 1124, Université Paris Cité, 75006, Paris, France.
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Mehrabian M, Wang X, Eid S, Yan BQ, Grinberg M, Siegner M, Sackmann C, Sulman M, Zhao W, Williams D, Schmitt-Ulms G. Cardiac glycoside-mediated turnover of Na, K-ATPases as a rational approach to reducing cell surface levels of the cellular prion protein. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270915. [PMID: 35776750 PMCID: PMC9249225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely anticipated that a reduction of brain levels of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) can prolong survival in a group of neurodegenerative diseases known as prion diseases. To date, efforts to decrease steady-state PrPC levels by targeting this protein directly with small molecule drug-like compounds have largely been unsuccessful. Recently, we reported Na,K-ATPases to reside in immediate proximity to PrPC in the brain, unlocking an opportunity for an indirect PrPC targeting approach that capitalizes on the availability of potent cardiac glycosides (CGs). Here, we report that exposure of human co-cultures of neurons and astrocytes to non-toxic nanomolar levels of CGs causes profound reductions in PrPC levels. The mechanism of action underpinning this outcome relies primarily on a subset of CGs engaging the ATP1A1 isoform, one of three α subunits of Na,K-ATPases expressed in brain cells. Upon CG docking to ATP1A1, the ligand receptor complex, and PrPC along with it, is internalized by the cell. Subsequently, PrPC is channeled to the lysosomal compartment where it is digested in a manner that can be rescued by silencing the cysteine protease cathepsin B. These data signify that the repurposing of CGs may be beneficial for the treatment of prion disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Mehrabian
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xinzhu Wang
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shehab Eid
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bei Qi Yan
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Grinberg
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Murdock Siegner
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher Sackmann
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Muhammad Sulman
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wenda Zhao
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, 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, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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35
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Sakaguchi S. Prion Pathogenesis Revealed in a Series of the Special Issues "Prions and Prion Diseases". Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:6490. [PMID: 35742934 PMCID: PMC9224285 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of devastating neurodegenerative disorders, which include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, and scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in animals [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Suehiro Sakaguchi
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology, The Institute for Enzyme Research (KOSOKEN), Tokushima University, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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36
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A high-content neuron imaging assay demonstrates inhibition of prion disease-associated neurotoxicity by an anti-prion protein antibody. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9493. [PMID: 35680944 PMCID: PMC9184462 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13455-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop disease-modifying therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases which pose increasing challenges to global healthcare systems. Prion diseases, although rare, provide a paradigm to study neurodegenerative dementias as similar disease mechanisms involving propagation and spread of multichain assemblies of misfolded protein ("prion-like" mechanisms) are increasingly recognised in the commoner conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. However, studies of prion disease pathogenesis in mouse models showed that prion propagation and neurotoxicity can be mechanistically uncoupled and in vitro assays confirmed that highly purified prions are indeed not directly neurotoxic. To aid development of prion disease therapeutics we have therefore developed a cell-based assay for the specific neurotoxicity seen in prion diseases rather than to simply assess inhibition of prion propagation. We applied this assay to examine an anti-prion protein mouse monoclonal antibody (ICSM18) known to potently cure prion-infected cells and to delay onset of prion disease in prion-infected mice. We demonstrate that whilst ICSM18 itself lacks inherent neurotoxicity in this assay, it potently blocks prion disease-associated neurotoxicity.
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37
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The cognitive phenotypes of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: comparison with secondary metabolic encephalopathy. Neurol Sci 2022; 43:3703-3716. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05795-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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38
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Mead S, Khalili-Shirazi A, Potter C, Mok T, Nihat A, Hyare H, Canning S, Schmidt C, Campbell T, Darwent L, Muirhead N, Ebsworth N, Hextall P, Wakeling M, Linehan J, Libri V, Williams B, Jaunmuktane Z, Brandner S, Rudge P, Collinge J. Prion protein monoclonal antibody (PRN100) therapy for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: evaluation of a first-in-human treatment programme. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:342-354. [PMID: 35305340 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00082-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human prion diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), are rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative conditions with no effective therapies. Their pathogenesis involves the obligate recruitment of cellular prion protein (PrPC) into self-propagating multimeric assemblies or prions. Preclinical studies have firmly validated the targeting of PrPC as a therapeutic strategy. We aimed to evaluate a first-in-human treatment programme using an anti-PrPC monoclonal antibody under a Specials Licence. METHODS We generated a fully humanised anti-PrPC monoclonal antibody (an IgG4κ isotype; PRN100) for human use. We offered treatment with PRN100 to six patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable CJD who were not in the terminal disease stages at the point of first assessment and who were able to readily travel to the University College London Hospital (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility, London, UK, for treatment. After titration (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg at 48-h intervals), patients were treated with 80-120 mg/kg of intravenous PRN100 every 2 weeks until death or withdrawal from the programme, or until the supply of PRN100 was exhausted, and closely monitored for evidence of adverse effects. Disease progression was assessed by use of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Disease Rating Scale, Motor Scale, and Cognitive Scale, and compared with that of untreated natural history controls (matched for disease severity, subtype, and PRNP codon 129 genotype) recruited between Oct 1, 2008, and July 31, 2018, from the National Prion Monitoring Cohort study. Autopsies were done in two patients and findings were compared with those from untreated natural history controls. FINDINGS We treated six patients (two men; four women) with CJD for 7-260 days at UCLH between Oct 9, 2018, and July 31, 2019. Repeated intravenous dosing of PRN100 was well tolerated and reached the target CSF drug concentration (50 nM) in four patients after 22-70 days; no clinically significant adverse reactions were seen. All patients showed progressive neurological decline on serial assessments with the MRC Scales. Neuropathological examination was done in two patients (patients 2 and 3) and showed no evidence of cytotoxicity. Patient 2, who was treated for 140 days, had the longest clinical duration we have yet documented for iatrogenic CJD and showed patterns of disease-associated PrP that differed from untreated patients with CJD, consistent with drug effects. Patient 3, who had sporadic CJD and only received one therapeutic dose of 80 mg/kg, had weak PrP synaptic labelling in the periventricular regions, which was not a feature of untreated patients with sporadic CJD. Brain tissue-bound drug concentrations across multiple regions in patient 2 ranged from 9·9 μg per g of tissue (SD 0·3) in the thalamus to 27·4 μg per g of tissue (1·5) in the basal ganglia (equivalent to 66-182 nM). INTERPRETATION Our academic-led programme delivered what is, to our knowledge, the first rationally designed experimental treatment for human prion disease to a small number of patients with CJD. The treatment appeared to be safe and reached encouraging CSF and brain tissue concentrations. These findings justify the need for formal efficacy trials in patients with CJD at the earliest possible clinical stages and as prophylaxis in those at risk of prion disease due to PRNP mutations or prion exposure. FUNDING The Cure CJD Campaign, the National Institute for Health Research UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, the Jon Moulton Charitable Trust, and the UK MRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Mead
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Azadeh Khalili-Shirazi
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Caroline Potter
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tzehow Mok
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Akin Nihat
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Harpreet Hyare
- Department of Neuroradiology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Stephanie Canning
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Schmidt
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tracy Campbell
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lee Darwent
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicola Muirhead
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicolette Ebsworth
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Patrick Hextall
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Madeleine Wakeling
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline Linehan
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Libri
- NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK; Clinical Research Facility, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Bryan Williams
- NIHR, Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | - Zane Jaunmuktane
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Brandner
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; Division of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Peter Rudge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London, UK; National Prion Clinic, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
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39
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Gene expression and epigenetic markers of prion diseases. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:285-294. [PMID: 35307791 PMCID: PMC10113299 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03603-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics, meaning the variety of mechanisms underpinning gene regulation and chromatin states, plays a key role in normal development as well as in disease initiation and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms like alteration of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, have been proposed as biomarkers for diagnosis, classification, or monitoring of responsiveness to treatment in many diseases. In prion diseases, the profound associations with human aging, the effects of cell type and differentiation on in vitro susceptibility, and recently identified human risk factors, all implicate causal epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we review the current state of the art of epigenetics in prion diseases and its interaction with genetic determinants. In particular, we will review recent advances made by several groups in the field profiling DNA methylation and microRNA expression in mammalian prion diseases and the potential for these discoveries to be exploited as biomarkers.
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40
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Lakkaraju AKK, Sorce S, Senatore A, Nuvolone M, Guo J, Schwarz P, Moos R, Pelczar P, Aguzzi A. Glial activation in prion diseases is selectively triggered by neuronal PrP Sc. Brain Pathol 2022; 32:e13056. [PMID: 35178783 PMCID: PMC9425016 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although prion infections cause cognitive impairment and neuronal death, transcriptional and translational profiling shows progressive derangement within glia but surprisingly little changes within neurons. Here we expressed PrPC selectively in neurons and astrocytes of mice. After prion infection, both astrocyte and neuron‐restricted PrPC expression led to copious brain accumulation of PrPSc. As expected, neuron‐restricted expression was associated with typical prion disease. However, mice with astrocyte‐restricted PrPC expression experienced a normal life span, did not develop clinical disease, and did not show astro‐ or microgliosis. Besides confirming that PrPSc is innocuous to PrPC‐deficient neurons, these results show that astrocyte‐born PrPSc does not activate the extreme neuroinflammation that accompanies the onset of prion disease and precedes any molecular changes of neurons. This points to a nonautonomous mechanism by which prion‐infected neurons instruct astrocytes and microglia to acquire a specific cellular state that, in turn, drives neural dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asvin K K Lakkaraju
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Sorce
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Assunta Senatore
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mario Nuvolone
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Foundation Scientific Institute Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jingjing Guo
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petra Schwarz
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rita Moos
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pawel Pelczar
- Center for Transgenic Models, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Cuesta FA, Guerberoff G, Rojo ÁL. Bernoulli and binomial proliferation on evolutionary graphs. J Theor Biol 2022; 534:110942. [PMID: 34717934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this paper we introduce random proliferation models on graphs. We consider two types of particles: type-1/mutant/invader/red particles proliferates on a population of type-2/wild-type/resident/blue particles. Unlike the well-known Moran model on graphs -as introduced in Lieberman et al. (2005)-, type-1 particles can occupy in a single iteration several neighbouring sites previously occupied by type-2 particles. Two variants are considered, depending on the random distribution involving the proliferation mechanism: Bernoulli and binomial proliferation. By comparison with fixation probability of type-1 particles in the Moran process, critical parameters are introduced. Properties of proliferation are studied and some particular cases are analytically solved. Finally, by updating the parameters that drive the processes through a density-dependent mechanism, it is possible to capture additional relevant features as fluctuating waves of type-1 particles over long periods of time. In fact, the models can be adapted to tackle more general, complex and realistic situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Alcalde Cuesta
- Instituto de Matemáticas, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela E-15782, Spain
| | - Gustavo Guerberoff
- Instituto de Matemática y Estadística Rafael Laguardia, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la República, J. Herrera y Reissig 565, Montevideo C.P.11300, Uruguay.
| | - Álvaro Lozano Rojo
- Departamento de Matemáticas, Instituto Universitario de Matemáticas y Aplicaciones (IUMA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna, 12, Zaragoza E-50009, Spain
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Hirata T, Kobayashi A, Furuse T, Yamada I, Tamura M, Tomita H, Tokoro Y, Ninomiya A, Fujihara Y, Ikawa M, Maeda Y, Murakami Y, Kizuka Y, Kinoshita T. Loss of the N-acetylgalactosamine side chain of the GPI-anchor impairs bone formation and brain functions and accelerates the prion disease pathology. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101720. [PMID: 35151686 PMCID: PMC8913354 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is a posttranslational glycolipid modification of proteins that anchors proteins in lipid rafts on the cell surface. Although some GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), including the prion protein PrPC, have a glycan side chain composed of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)−galactose−sialic acid on the core structure of GPI glycolipid, in vivo functions of this GPI-GalNAc side chain are largely unresolved. Here, we investigated the physiological and pathological roles of the GPI-GalNAc side chain in vivo by knocking out its initiation enzyme, PGAP4, in mice. We show that Pgap4 mRNA is highly expressed in the brain, particularly in neurons, and mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the loss of the GalNAc side chain in PrPC GPI in PGAP4-KO mouse brains. Furthermore, PGAP4-KO mice exhibited various phenotypes, including an elevated blood alkaline phosphatase level, impaired bone formation, decreased locomotor activity, and impaired memory, despite normal expression levels and lipid raft association of various GPI-APs. Thus, we conclude that the GPI-GalNAc side chain is required for in vivo functions of GPI-APs in mammals, especially in bone and the brain. Moreover, PGAP4-KO mice were more vulnerable to prion diseases and died earlier after intracerebral inoculation of the pathogenic prion strains than wildtype mice, highlighting the protective roles of the GalNAc side chain against prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Hirata
- Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tamio Furuse
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ikuko Yamada
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Masaru Tamura
- Technology and Development Team for Mouse Phenotype Analysis, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tomita
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yuko Tokoro
- Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Akinori Ninomiya
- Core Instrumentation Facility, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Fujihara
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yusuke Maeda
- Yabumoto Department of Intractable Disease Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Murakami
- Yabumoto Department of Intractable Disease Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kizuka
- Institute for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
| | - Taroh Kinoshita
- Yabumoto Department of Intractable Disease Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan; WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
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Bujdoso R, Smith A, Fleck O, Spiropoulos J, Andréoletti O, Thackray AM. Prion disease modelled in Drosophila. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 392:47-62. [PMID: 35092497 PMCID: PMC10113284 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPrion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative conditions of humans and various vertebrate species that are transmissible between individuals of the same or different species. A novel infectious moiety referred to as a prion is considered responsible for transmission of these conditions. Prion replication is believed to be the cause of the neurotoxicity that arises during prion disease pathogenesis. The prion hypothesis predicts that the transmissible prion agent consists of PrPSc, which is comprised of aggregated misfolded conformers of the normal host protein PrPC. It is important to understand the biology of transmissible prions and to identify genetic modifiers of prion-induced neurotoxicity. This information will underpin the development of therapeutic and control strategies for human and animal prion diseases. The most reliable method to detect prion infectivity is by in vivo transmission in a suitable experimental host, which to date have been mammalian species. Current prion bioassays are slow, cumbersome and relatively insensitive to low titres of prion infectivity, and do not lend themselves to rapid genetic analysis of prion disease. Here, we provide an overview of our novel studies that have led to the establishment of Drosophila melanogaster, a genetically well-defined invertebrate host, as a sensitive, versatile and economically viable animal model for the detection of mammalian prion infectivity and genetic modifiers of prion-induced toxicity.
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44
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Biased M1 muscarinic receptor mutant mice show accelerated progression of prion neurodegenerative disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107389118. [PMID: 34893539 PMCID: PMC8685681 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107389118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1-receptor) plays a crucial role in learning and memory and is a validated drug target for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Furthermore, M1-receptor ligands have been demonstrated to display disease-modifying effects in preclinical models of neurodegenerative disease. By employing a genetic mouse model expressing a G protein–biased M1-receptor in combination with a mouse model of terminal neurodegenerative disease, we demonstrate here that the M1-receptor exerts an inherent neuroprotective activity that is dependent on its phosphorylation status. Thus, in AD drug development programs, M1-receptor ligands that maintain the receptor phosphorylation status will be more likely to lead to beneficial neuroprotective outcomes. There are currently no treatments that can slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There is, however, a growing body of evidence that activation of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1-receptor) can not only restore memory loss in AD patients but in preclinical animal models can also slow neurodegenerative disease progression. The generation of an effective medicine targeting the M1-receptor has however been severely hampered by associated cholinergic adverse responses. By using genetically engineered mouse models that express a G protein–biased M1-receptor, we recently established that M1-receptor mediated adverse responses can be minimized by ensuring activating ligands maintain receptor phosphorylation/arrestin-dependent signaling. Here, we use these same genetic models in concert with murine prion disease, a terminal neurodegenerative disease showing key hallmarks of AD, to establish that phosphorylation/arrestin-dependent signaling delivers neuroprotection that both extends normal animal behavior and prolongs the life span of prion-diseased mice. Our data point to an important neuroprotective property inherent to the M1-receptor and indicate that next generation M1-receptor ligands designed to drive receptor phosphorylation/arrestin-dependent signaling would potentially show low adverse responses while delivering neuroprotection that will slow disease progression.
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45
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Crestini A, Santilli F, Martellucci S, Carbone E, Sorice M, Piscopo P, Mattei V. Prions and Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Focus on Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 85:503-518. [PMID: 34864675 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Specific protein misfolding and aggregation are mechanisms underlying various neurodegenerative diseases such as prion disease and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The misfolded proteins are involved in prions, amyloid-β (Aβ), tau, and α-synuclein disorders; they share common structural, biological, and biochemical characteristics, as well as similar mechanisms of aggregation and self-propagation. Pathological features of AD include the appearance of plaques consisting of deposition of protein Aβ and neurofibrillary tangles formed by the hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Although it is not clear how protein aggregation leads to AD, we are learning that the cellular prion protein (PrPC) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. Herein, we first examined the pathogenesis of prion and AD with a focus on the contribution of PrPC to the development of AD. We analyzed the mechanisms that lead to the formation of a high affinity bond between Aβ oligomers (AβOs) and PrPC. Also, we studied the role of PrPC as an AβO receptor that initiates an AβO-induced signal cascade involving mGluR5, Fyn, Pyk2, and eEF2K linking Aβ and tau pathologies, resulting in the death of neurons in the central nervous system. Finally, we have described how the PrPC-AβOs interaction can be used as a new potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PrPC-dependent AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Crestini
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Santilli
- Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, "Sabina Universitas", Rieti, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Martellucci
- Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, "Sabina Universitas", Rieti, Italy
| | - Elena Carbone
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Sorice
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Piscopo
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mattei
- Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, "Sabina Universitas", Rieti, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy
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Linsenmeier L, Mohammadi B, Shafiq M, Frontzek K, Bär J, Shrivastava AN, Damme M, Song F, Schwarz A, Da Vela S, Massignan T, Jung S, Correia A, Schmitz M, Puig B, Hornemann S, Zerr I, Tatzelt J, Biasini E, Saftig P, Schweizer M, Svergun D, Amin L, Mazzola F, Varani L, Thapa S, Gilch S, Schätzl H, Harris DA, Triller A, Mikhaylova M, Aguzzi A, Altmeppen HC, Glatzel M. Ligands binding to the prion protein induce its proteolytic release with therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative proteinopathies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj1826. [PMID: 34818048 PMCID: PMC8612689 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrPC) is a central player in neurodegenerative diseases, such as prion diseases or Alzheimer’s disease. In contrast to disease-promoting cell surface PrPC, extracellular fragments act neuroprotective by blocking neurotoxic disease-associated protein conformers. Fittingly, PrPC release by the metalloprotease ADAM10 represents a protective mechanism. We used biochemical, cell biological, morphological, and structural methods to investigate mechanisms stimulating this proteolytic shedding. Shed PrP negatively correlates with prion conversion and is markedly redistributed in murine brain in the presence of prion deposits or amyloid plaques, indicating a sequestrating activity. PrP-directed ligands cause structural changes in PrPC and increased shedding in cells and organotypic brain slice cultures. As an exception, some PrP-directed antibodies targeting repetitive epitopes do not cause shedding but surface clustering, endocytosis, and degradation of PrPC. Both mechanisms may contribute to beneficial actions described for PrP-directed ligands and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies against currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Linsenmeier
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Bär
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amulya N. Shrivastava
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Markus Damme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Feizhi Song
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Schwarz
- Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tania Massignan
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Sebastian Jung
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Angela Correia
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmitz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Department of Neurology, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Paul Saftig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Federica Mazzola
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Simrika Thapa
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hermann Schätzl
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - David A. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antoine Triller
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Marina Mikhaylova
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hermann C. Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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47
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Brown AJH, Bradley SJ, Marshall FH, Brown GA, Bennett KA, Brown J, Cansfield JE, Cross DM, de Graaf C, Hudson BD, Dwomoh L, Dias JM, Errey JC, Hurrell E, Liptrot J, Mattedi G, Molloy C, Nathan PJ, Okrasa K, Osborne G, Patel JC, Pickworth M, Robertson N, Shahabi S, Bundgaard C, Phillips K, Broad LM, Goonawardena AV, Morairty SR, Browning M, Perini F, Dawson GR, Deakin JFW, Smith RT, Sexton PM, Warneck J, Vinson M, Tasker T, Tehan BG, Teobald B, Christopoulos A, Langmead CJ, Jazayeri A, Cooke RM, Rucktooa P, Congreve MS, Weir M, Tobin AB. From structure to clinic: Design of a muscarinic M1 receptor agonist with potential to treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Cell 2021; 184:5886-5901.e22. [PMID: 34822784 PMCID: PMC7616177 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Current therapies for Alzheimer's disease seek to correct for defective cholinergic transmission by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, these however have limited clinical efficacy. An alternative approach is to directly activate cholinergic receptors responsible for learning and memory. The M1-muscarinic acetylcholine (M1) receptor is the target of choice but has been hampered by adverse effects. Here we aimed to design the drug properties needed for a well-tolerated M1-agonist with the potential to alleviate cognitive loss by taking a stepwise translational approach from atomic structure, cell/tissue-based assays, evaluation in preclinical species, clinical safety testing, and finally establishing activity in memory centers in humans. Through this approach, we rationally designed the optimal properties, including selectivity and partial agonism, into HTL9936-a potential candidate for the treatment of memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. More broadly, this demonstrates a strategy for targeting difficult GPCR targets from structure to clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair J H Brown
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Sophie J Bradley
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK; The Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Fiona H Marshall
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Giles A Brown
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Kirstie A Bennett
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Jason Brown
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Julie E Cansfield
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - David M Cross
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK; Cross Pharma Consulting Ltd, 20-22 Wenlock Road, London, N17GU, UK
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Brian D Hudson
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Louis Dwomoh
- The Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - João M Dias
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - James C Errey
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Edward Hurrell
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Jan Liptrot
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Giulio Mattedi
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Colin Molloy
- The Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Pradeep J Nathan
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK; Brain Mapping Unit, University of Cambridge, Department of Psychiatry, Herchel Smith Building, Cambridge, CB20SZ, UK
| | - Krzysztof Okrasa
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Greg Osborne
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Jayesh C Patel
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Mark Pickworth
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Nathan Robertson
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Shahram Shahabi
- Eli Lilly & Co, Neuroscience Discovery, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Christoffer Bundgaard
- Eli Lilly & Co, Neuroscience Discovery, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK; H. Lundbeck A/S, Neuroscience Research, Ottiliavej 9, 2500 Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Keith Phillips
- Eli Lilly & Co, Neuroscience Discovery, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Lisa M Broad
- Eli Lilly & Co, Neuroscience Discovery, Erl Wood Manor, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Anushka V Goonawardena
- Center for Neuroscience, Biosciences Division, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Stephen R Morairty
- Center for Neuroscience, Biosciences Division, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Michael Browning
- University Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX12JD, UK; P1vital, Manor house, Howbery Buisness Park, Wallingford, OX108BA, UK
| | - Francesca Perini
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience - Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, 169857, Singapore
| | - Gerard R Dawson
- University Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX12JD, UK
| | - John F W Deakin
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, M139PT UK
| | - Robert T Smith
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Patrick M Sexton
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia; ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie Warneck
- Protogenia Consulting Ltd, PO-Box 289, Ely, CB79DR, UK
| | - Mary Vinson
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Tim Tasker
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Benjamin G Tehan
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Barry Teobald
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Arthur Christopoulos
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher J Langmead
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK; Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ali Jazayeri
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Robert M Cooke
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Prakash Rucktooa
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Miles S Congreve
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK
| | - Malcolm Weir
- Sosei-Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6DG, UK.
| | - Andrew B Tobin
- The Centre for Translational Pharmacology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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48
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Legname G, Scialò C. On the role of the cellular prion protein in the uptake and signaling of pathological aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. Prion 2021; 14:257-270. [PMID: 33345731 PMCID: PMC7757855 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2020.1854034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with intra- or extra-cellular deposition of aggregates of misfolded insoluble proteins. These deposits composed of tau, amyloid-β or α-synuclein spread from cell to cell, in a prion-like manner. Novel evidence suggests that the circulating soluble oligomeric species of these misfolded proteins could play a major role in pathology, while insoluble aggregates would represent their protective less toxic counterparts. Recent convincing data support the proposition that the cellular prion protein, PrPC, act as a toxicity-inducing receptor for amyloid-β oligomers. As a consequence, several studies focused their investigations to the role played by PrPC in binding other protein aggregates, such as tau and α-synuclein, for its possible common role in mediating toxic signalling. The biological relevance of PrPC as key ligand and potential mediator of toxicity for multiple proteinaceous aggregated species, prions or PrPSc included, could lead to relevant therapeutic implications. Here we describe the structure of PrPC and the proposed interplay with its pathological counterpart PrPSc and then we recapitulate the most recent findings regarding the role of PrPC in the interaction with aggregated forms of other neurodegeneration-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlo Scialò
- Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Prion Biology, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
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49
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Intrinsic disorder and phase transitions: Pieces in the puzzling role of the prion protein in health and disease. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 183:1-43. [PMID: 34656326 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
After four decades of prion protein research, the pressing questions in the literature remain similar to the common existential dilemmas. Who am I? Some structural characteristics of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) and scrapie PrP (PrPSc) remain unknown: there are no high-resolution atomic structures for either full-length endogenous human PrPC or isolated infectious PrPSc particles. Why am I here? It is not known why PrPC and PrPSc are found in specific cellular compartments such as the nucleus; while the physiological functions of PrPC are still being uncovered, the misfolding site remains obscure. Where am I going? The subcellular distribution of PrPC and PrPSc is wide (reported in 10 different locations in the cell). This complexity is further exacerbated by the eight different PrP fragments yielded from conserved proteolytic cleavages and by reversible post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Moreover, about 55 pathological mutations and 16 polymorphisms on the PrP gene (PRNP) have been described. Prion diseases also share unique, challenging features: strain phenomenon (associated with the heterogeneity of PrPSc conformations) and the possible transmissibility between species, factors which contribute to PrP undruggability. However, two recent concepts in biochemistry-intrinsically disordered proteins and phase transitions-may shed light on the molecular basis of PrP's role in physiology and disease.
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50
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Kamps J, Lin YH, Oliva R, Bader V, Winter R, Winklhofer KF, Tatzelt J. The N-terminal domain of the prion protein is required and sufficient for liquid-liquid phase separation: A crucial role of the Aβ-binding domain. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100860. [PMID: 34102212 PMCID: PMC8254114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Formation of biomolecular condensates through liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) has been described for several pathogenic proteins linked to neurodegenerative diseases and is discussed as an early step in the formation of protein aggregates with neurotoxic properties. In prion diseases, neurodegeneration and formation of infectious prions is caused by aberrant folding of the cellular prion protein (PrPC). PrPC is characterized by a large intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain and a structured C-terminal globular domain. A significant fraction of mature PrPC is proteolytically processed in vivo into an entirely unstructured fragment, designated N1, and the corresponding C-terminal fragment C1 harboring the globular domain. Notably, N1 contains a polybasic motif that serves as a binding site for neurotoxic Aβ oligomers. PrP can undergo LLPS; however, nothing is known how phase separation of PrP is triggered on a molecular scale. Here, we show that the intrinsically disordered N1 domain is necessary and sufficient for LLPS of PrP. Similar to full-length PrP, the N1 fragment formed highly dynamic liquid-like droplets. Remarkably, a slightly shorter unstructured fragment, designated N2, which lacks the Aβ-binding domain and is generated under stress conditions, failed to form liquid-like droplets and instead formed amorphous assemblies of irregular structures. Through a mutational analysis, we identified three positively charged lysines in the postoctarepeat region as essential drivers of condensate formation, presumably largely via cation–π interactions. These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of LLPS of the mammalian prion protein and reveal a crucial role of the Aβ-binding domain in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Kamps
- Department of Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Yu-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rosario Oliva
- Division of Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Verian Bader
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Roland Winter
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Division of Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Konstanze F Winklhofer
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department of Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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