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Kim A, Martinez-Valbuena I, Li J, Lang AE, Kovacs GG. Disease-Specific α-Synuclein Seeding in Lewy Body Disease and Multiple System Atrophy Are Preserved in Formaldehyde-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Human Brain. Biomolecules 2023; 13:936. [PMID: 37371515 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have been able to detect α-synuclein (αSyn) seeding in formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues from patients with synucleinopathies using seed amplification assays (SAAs), but with relatively low sensitivity due to limited protein extraction efficiency. With the aim of introducing an alternative option to frozen tissues, we developed a streamlined protein extraction protocol for evaluating disease-specific seeding in FFPE human brain. We evaluated the protein extraction efficiency of different tissue preparations, deparaffinizations, and protein extraction buffers using formaldehyde-fixed and FFPE tissue of a single Lewy body disease (LBD) subject. Alternatively, we incorporated heat-induced antigen retrieval and dissociation using a commercially available kit. Our novel protein extraction protocol has been optimized to work with 10 sections of 4.5-µm-thickness or 2-mm-diameter micro-punch of FFPE tissue that can be used to seed SAAs. We demonstrated that extracted proteins from FFPE still preserve seeding potential and further show disease-specific seeding in LBD and multiple system atrophy. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to recapitulate disease-specific αSyn seeding behaviour in FFPE human brain. Our findings open new perspectives in re-evaluating archived human brain tissue, extending the disease-specific seeding assays to larger cohorts to facilitate molecular subtyping of synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ain Kim
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Jun Li
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Anthony E Lang
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S6, Canada
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S6, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
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Ward A, Hollister JR, McNally K, Ritchie DL, Zanusso G, Priola SA. Transmission characteristics of heterozygous cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with variable abnormal prion protein allotypes. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:83. [PMID: 32517816 PMCID: PMC7285538 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00958-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the human prion disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), different CJD neuropathological subtypes are defined by the presence in normal prion protein (PrPC) of a methionine or valine at residue 129, by the molecular mass of the infectious prion protein PrPSc, by the pattern of PrPSc deposition, and by the distribution of spongiform change in the brain. Heterozygous cases of CJD potentially add another layer of complexity to defining CJD subtypes since PrPSc can have either a methionine (PrPSc-M129) or valine (PrPSc-V129) at residue 129. We have recently demonstrated that the relative amount of PrPSc-M129 versus PrPSc-V129, i.e. the PrPSc allotype ratio, varies between heterozygous CJD cases. In order to determine if differences in PrPSc allotype correlated with different disease phenotypes, we have inoculated 10 cases of heterozygous CJD (7 sporadic and 3 iatrogenic) into two transgenic mouse lines overexpressing PrPC with a methionine at codon 129. In one case, brain-region specific differences in PrPSc allotype appeared to correlate with differences in prion disease transmission and phenotype. In the other 9 cases inoculated, the presence of PrPSc-V129 was associated with plaque formation but differences in PrPSc allotype did not consistently correlate with disease incubation time or neuropathology. Thus, while the PrPSc allotype ratio may contribute to diverse prion phenotypes within a single brain, it does not appear to be a primary determinative factor of disease phenotype.
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Itzhaki Ben Zadok O, Orvin K, Inbar E, Rechavia E. Cardiomyopathy associated with Ceutzfeld-Jakob disease: a diagnosis of exclusion: a case report. Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020; 4:1-5. [PMID: 32128499 PMCID: PMC7047068 DOI: 10.1093/ehjcr/ytz236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD), the most common prion disease in humans, is primarily known for its adverse neurological impact and inevitable mortality. Data regarding myocardial involvement in CJD are scarce. Case summary A 54-year-old female patient, presented with progressive effort dyspnoea, was diagnosed with unexplained non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy. An extensive cardiac work-up including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not reveal any underlying aetiology. Simultaneously, the patient developed involuntary limb movements and progressive cognitive decline. Thalamic high-signal abnormalities on diffusion-weighted images were apparent on brain MRI. Based on these findings, she was subsequently referred to a neurology department, where she suddenly died the day after her admission. Brain autopsy demonstrated spongiform encephalopathy. A genetic analysis performed to her son revealed a mutation in the PRNP gene; all of these were consistent with CJD. Discussion This case describes the clinical association of CJD and cardiomyopathy and the diagnosis prion-induced cardiomyopathy by exclusion. It is not inconceivable that the coexistence of these two clinical entities may be related to genetic expression and contemporaneously deposition of infectious prions in myocardial muscle and brain tissue. Awareness of this possible association could be of important public-safety concern, and merits further collaborative cardiac-neurological work-up to elucidate this phenotype among patients with unexplained cardiomyopathy with neurological symptoms that resemble CJD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osnat Itzhaki Ben Zadok
- Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, 39 Jabotinsky, St. 49100 Petah Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 39040 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Katia Orvin
- Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, 39 Jabotinsky, St. 49100 Petah Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 39040 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Edna Inbar
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 39040 Tel Aviv, Israel.,Department of Radiology, Rabin Medical Center, 39 Jabotinsky, St. 49100 Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Eldad Rechavia
- Department of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, 39 Jabotinsky, St. 49100 Petah Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 39040 Tel Aviv, Israel
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Processing of high-titer prions for mass spectrometry inactivates prion infectivity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2018; 1866:1174-1180. [PMID: 30282615 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Prions represent a class of universally fatal and transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that affect humans and other mammals. The prion agent contains a pathologically aggregated form of the host prion protein that can transmit infectivity without any bacterial or viral component and is thus difficult to inactivate using disinfection protocols designed for infectious microorganisms. Methods for prion inactivation include treatment with acids, bases, detergents, bleach, prolonged autoclaving and incineration. During these procedures, the sample is often either destroyed or damaged such that further analysis for research purposes is compromised. In this study we show that a straightforward denaturation and in-gel protease digestion protocol used to prepare prion-infected samples for mass spectroscopy leads to the loss of at least 7 logs of prion infectivity, yielding a final product that fails to transmit prion disease in vivo. We further show that the resultant sample remains suitable for mass spectrometry-based protein identifications. Thus, the procedure described can be used to prepare prion-infected samples for mass spectrometry analysis with greatly reduced biosafety concerns.
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Race B, Williams K, Hughson AG, Jansen C, Parchi P, Rozemuller AJM, Chesebro B. Familial human prion diseases associated with prion protein mutations Y226X and G131V are transmissible to transgenic mice expressing human prion protein. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2018; 6:13. [PMID: 29458424 PMCID: PMC5819089 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-018-0516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human familial prion diseases are associated with mutations at 34 different prion protein (PrP) amino acid residues. However, it is unclear whether infectious prions are found in all cases. Mutant PrP itself may be neurotoxic, or alternatively, PrP mutation might predispose to spontaneous formation of infectious PrP isoforms. Previous reports demonstrated transmission to animal models by human brain tissue expressing 7 different PrP mutations, but 3 other mutations were not transmissible. In the present work, we tested transmission using brain homogenates from patients expressing 3 untested PrP mutants: G131V, Y226X, and Q227X. Human brain homogenates were injected intracerebrally into tg66 transgenic mice overexpressing human PrP. Mice were followed for nearly 800 days. From 593 to 762 dpi, 4 of 8 mice injected with Y226X brain had PrPSc detectable in brain by immunostaining, immunoblot, and PrP amyloid seeding activity assayed by RT-QuIC. From 531 to 784 dpi, 11 of 11 G131V-injected mice had PrPSc deposition in brain, but none were positive by immunoblot or RT-QuIC assay. In contrast, from 529 to 798 dpi, no tg66 mice injected with Q227X brain had PrPSc or PrP amyloid seeding activity detectable by these methods. Y226X is the only one of 4 known PrP truncations associated with familial disease which has been shown to be transmissible. This transmission of prion infectivity from a patient expressing truncated human PrP may have implications for the spread and possible transmission of other aggregated truncated proteins in prion-like diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and tauopathies.
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Detection and Quantification of CWD Prions in Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tissues by Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25098. [PMID: 27157060 PMCID: PMC4860571 DOI: 10.1038/srep25098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional diagnostic detection of chronic wasting disease (CWD) relies on immunodetection of misfolded CWD prion protein (PrPCWD) by western blotting, ELISA, or immunohistochemistry (IHC). These techniques require separate sample collections (frozen and fixed) which may result in discrepancies due to variation in prion tissue distribution and assay sensitivities that limit detection especially in early and subclinical infections. Here, we harness the power of real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) to amplify, detect, and quantify prion amyloid seeding activity in fixed paraffin-embedded (FPE) tissue sections. We show that FPE RT-QuIC has greater detection sensitivity than IHC in tissues with low PrPCWD burdens, including those that are IHC-negative. We also employ amyloid formation kinetics to yield a semi-quantitative estimate of prion concentration in a given FPE tissue. We report that FPE RT-QuIC has the ability to enhance diagnostic and investigative detection of disease-associated PrPRES in prion, and potentially other, protein misfolding disease states.
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