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Groveman BR, Williams K, Race B, Foliaki S, Thomas T, Hughson AG, Walters RO, Zou W, Haigh CL. Lack of Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions to Human Cerebral Organoids. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:1193-1202. [PMID: 38781931 PMCID: PMC11138967 DOI: 10.3201/eid3006.231568] [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] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a cervid prion disease with unknown zoonotic potential that might pose a risk to humans who are exposed. To assess the potential of CWD to infect human neural tissue, we used human cerebral organoids with 2 different prion genotypes, 1 of which has previously been associated with susceptibility to zoonotic prion disease. We exposed organoids from both genotypes to high concentrations of CWD inocula from 3 different sources for 7 days, then screened for infection periodically for up to 180 days. No de novo CWD propagation or deposition of protease-resistant forms of human prions was evident in CWD-exposed organoids. Some persistence of the original inoculum was detected, which was equivalent in prion gene knockout organoids and thus not attributable to human prion propagation. Overall, the unsuccessful propagation of CWD in cerebral organoids supports a strong species barrier to transmission of CWD prions to humans.
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Orrú CD, Groveman BR, Hughson AG, Barrio T, Isiofia K, Race B, Ferreira NC, Gambetti P, Schneider DA, Masujin K, Miyazawa K, Ghetti B, Zanusso G, Caughey B. Sensitive detection of pathological seeds of α-synuclein, tau and prion protein on solid surfaces. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012175. [PMID: 38640117 PMCID: PMC11062561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012175] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Prions or prion-like aggregates such as those composed of PrP, α-synuclein, and tau are key features of proteinopathies such as prion, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, respectively. Their presence on solid surfaces may be biohazardous under some circumstances. PrP prions bound to solids are detectable by ultrasensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays if the solids can be immersed in assay wells or the prions transferred to pads. Here we show that prion-like seeds can remain detectable on steel wires for at least a year, or even after enzymatic cleaning and sterilization. We also show that contamination of larger objects with pathological seeds of α-synuclein, tau, and PrP can be detected by simply assaying a sampling medium that has been transiently applied to the surface. Human α-synuclein seeds in dementia with Lewy bodies brain tissue were detected by α-synuclein RT-QuIC after drying of tissue dilutions with concentrations as low as 10-6 onto stainless steel. Tau RT-QuIC detected tau seeding activity on steel exposed to Alzheimer's disease brain tissue diluted as much as a billion fold. Prion RT-QuIC assays detected seeding activity on plates exposed to brain dilutions as extreme as 10-5-10-8 from prion-affected humans, sheep, cattle and cervids. Sampling medium collected from surgical instruments used in necropsies of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease-infected transgenic mice was positive down to 10-6 dilution. Sensitivity for prion detection was not sacrificed by omitting the recombinant PrP substrate from the sampling medium during its application to a surface and subsequent storage as long as the substrate was added prior to performing the assay reaction. Our findings demonstrate practical prototypic surface RT-QuIC protocols for the highly sensitive detection of pathologic seeds of α-synuclein, tau, and PrP on solid objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina D. Orrú
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Bradley R. Groveman
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Andrew G. Hughson
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Tomás Barrio
- UMR INRAE ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France
| | - Kachi Isiofia
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Natalia C. Ferreira
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Pierluigi Gambetti
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David A. Schneider
- Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kentaro Masujin
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kohtaro Miyazawa
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
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Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P. Intrinsic determinants of prion protein neurotoxicity in Drosophila: from sequence to (dys)function. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1231079. [PMID: 37645703 PMCID: PMC10461008 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1231079] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal brain disorders characterized by deposition of insoluble isoforms of the prion protein (PrP). The normal and pathogenic structures of PrP are relatively well known after decades of studies. Yet our current understanding of the intrinsic determinants regulating PrP misfolding are largely missing. A 3D subdomain of PrP comprising the β2-α2 loop and helix 3 contains high sequence and structural variability among animals and has been proposed as a key domain regulating PrP misfolding. We combined in vivo work in Drosophila with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which provide additional insight to assess the impact of candidate substitutions in PrP from conformational dynamics. MD simulations revealed that in human PrP WT the β2-α2 loop explores multiple β-turn conformations, whereas the Y225A (rabbit PrP-like) substitution strongly favors a 310-turn conformation, a short right-handed helix. This shift in conformational diversity correlates with lower neurotoxicity in flies. We have identified additional conformational features and candidate amino acids regulating the high toxicity of human PrP and propose a new strategy for testing candidate modifiers first in MD simulations followed by functional experiments in flies. In this review we expand on these new results to provide additional insight into the structural and functional biology of PrP through the prism of the conformational dynamics of a 3D domain in the C-terminus. We propose that the conformational dynamics of this domain is a sensitive measure of the propensity of PrP to misfold and cause toxicity. This provides renewed opportunities to identify the intrinsic determinants of PrP misfolding through the contribution of key amino acids to different conformational states by MD simulations followed by experimental validation in transgenic flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cembran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, United States
| | - Pedro Fernandez-Funez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United States
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Myers RR, John A, Zhang W, Zou WQ, Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P. Y225A induces long-range conformational changes in human prion protein that are protective in Drosophila. J Biol Chem 2023:104881. [PMID: 37269948 PMCID: PMC10339063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion protein (PrP) misfolding is the key trigger in the devastating prion diseases. Yet the sequence and structural determinants of PrP conformation and toxicity are not known in detail. Here, we describe the impact of replacing Y225 in human PrP with A225 from rabbit PrP, an animal highly resistant to prion diseases. We first examined human PrP-Y225A by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We next introduced human PrP in Drosophila and compared the toxicity of human PrP-WT and Y225A in the eye and in brain neurons. Y225A stabilizes the β2-α2 loop into a 310-helix from 6 different conformations identified in WT and lowers hydrophobic exposure. Transgenic flies expressing PrP-Y225A exhibit less toxicity in the eye and in brain neurons and less accumulation of insoluble PrP. Overall, we determined that Y225A lowers toxicity in Drosophila assays by promoting a structured loop conformation that increases the stability of the globular domain. These findings are significant because they shed light on the key role of distal α-helix 3 on the dynamics of the loop and the entire globular domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Myers
- Dpt. of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Aliciarose John
- Dpt. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Weiguanliu Zhang
- Dpt. of Pathology and Neurology, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Wen-Quan Zou
- Dpt. of Pathology and Neurology, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alessandro Cembran
- Dpt. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Pedro Fernandez-Funez
- Dpt. of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus, Duluth, MN, USA.
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Hoyt F, Alam P, Artikis E, Schwartz CL, Hughson AG, Race B, Baune C, Raymond GJ, Baron GS, Kraus A, Caughey B. Cryo-EM of prion strains from the same genotype of host identifies conformational determinants. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010947. [PMID: 36342968 PMCID: PMC9671466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion strains in a given type of mammalian host are distinguished by differences in clinical presentation, neuropathological lesions, survival time, and characteristics of the infecting prion protein (PrP) assemblies. Near-atomic structures of prions from two host species with different PrP sequences have been determined but comparisons of distinct prion strains of the same amino acid sequence are needed to identify purely conformational determinants of prion strain characteristics. Here we report a 3.2 Å resolution cryogenic electron microscopy-based structure of the 22L prion strain purified from the brains of mice engineered to express only PrP lacking glycophosphatidylinositol anchors [anchorless (a) 22L]. Comparison of this near-atomic structure to our recently determined structure of the aRML strain propagated in the same inbred mouse reveals that these two mouse prion strains have distinct conformational templates for growth via incorporation of PrP molecules of the same sequence. Both a22L and aRML are assembled as stacks of PrP molecules forming parallel in-register intermolecular β-sheets and intervening loops, with single monomers spanning the ordered fibril core. Each monomer shares an N-terminal steric zipper, three major arches, and an overall V-shape, but the details of these and other conformational features differ markedly. Thus, variations in shared conformational motifs within a parallel in-register β-stack fibril architecture provide a structural basis for prion strain differentiation within a single host genotype. Prions are protein-based pathogens that can spread within and between hosts without carrying a pathogen-specific nucleic acid genome. Given this protein-based propagation mechanism, a long-standing mystery in the prion disease field has been the molecular basis of distinct, faithfully propagating strains in a single type of mammalian host. Here we provide a direct, high-resolution cryo-EM-based comparison of the structures of two highly infectious prion strains isolated from the brains of mice of a single genotype. We show in detail how these two prion strains are protein filaments of mouse PrP molecules that display distinct conformational templates for growth on their tips. Our results identify purely conformational, rather than sequence-based, underpinnings of infectious and deadly prion strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forrest Hoyt
- Research Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Parvez Alam
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Efrosini Artikis
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Cindi L. Schwartz
- Research Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Andrew G. Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Chase Baune
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Gregory J. Raymond
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Gerald S. Baron
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Race B, Williams K, Baune C, Striebel JF, Long D, Thomas T, Lubke L, Chesebro B, Carroll JA. Microglia have limited influence on early prion pathogenesis, clearance, or replication. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276850. [PMID: 36301895 PMCID: PMC9612458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia (MG) are critical to host defense during prion infection, but the mechanism(s) of this neuroprotection are poorly understood. To better examine the influence of MG during prion infection, we reduced MG in the brains of C57BL/10 mice using PLX5622 and assessed prion clearance and replication using multiple approaches that included bioassay, immunohistochemistry, and Real-Time Quaking Inducted Conversion (RT-QuIC). We also utilized a strategy of intermittent PLX5622 treatments to reduce MG and allow MG repopulation to test whether new MG could alter prion disease progress. Lastly, we investigated the influence of MG using tga20 mice, a rapid prion model that accumulates fewer pathological features and less PrPres in the infected brain. In C57BL/10 mice we found that MG were excluded from the inoculation site early after infection, but Iba1 positive infiltrating monocytes/macrophage were present. Reducing MG in the brain prior to prion inoculation did not increase susceptibility to prion infection. Short intermittent treatments with PLX5622 in prion infected C57BL/10 mice after 80 dpi were unsuccessful at altering the MG population, gliosis, or survival. Additionally, MG depletion using PLX5622 in tga20 mice had only a minor impact on prion pathogenesis, indicating that the presence of MG might be less important in this fast model with less prion accumulation. In contrast to the benefits of MG against prion disease in late stages of disease, our current experiments suggest MG do not play a role in early prion pathogenesis, clearance, or replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Race
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BR); (JAC)
| | - Katie Williams
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Chase Baune
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - James F. Striebel
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Dan Long
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Tina Thomas
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Lori Lubke
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Bruce Chesebro
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - James A. Carroll
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BR); (JAC)
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Nakaie M, Katayama F, Nakagaki T, Yoshida S, Kawasaki M, Nishi K, Ogawa K, Toriba A, Nishida N, Nakayama M, Fuchigami T. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel 2-(Benzofuran-2-yl)-chromone Derivatives for In Vivo Imaging of Prion Deposits in the Brain. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1869-1882. [PMID: 35969484 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders caused by the deposition of scrapie prion protein aggregates (PrPSc) in the brain. We previously reported that styrylchromone (SC) and benzofuran (BF) derivatives have potential as imaging probes for PrPSc. To further improve their properties, we designed and synthesized 2-(benzofuran-2-yl)-chromone (BFC) derivatives hybridized with SC and BF backbones as novel single-photon emission computed tomography probes for the detection of cerebral PrPSc deposits. Recombinant mouse prion protein (rMoPrP) aggregates and mouse-adapted bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mBSE)-infected mice were used to evaluate the binding properties of BFC derivatives to PrPSc. The BFC derivatives exhibited high binding affinities (equilibrium dissociation constant [Kd] = 22.6-47.7 nM) for rMoPrP aggregates. All BFC derivatives showed remarkable selectivity against amyloid beta aggregates. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed that the fluorescence signals of the BFC derivatives corresponded to the antibody-positive deposits of PrPSc in mBSE-infected mouse brains. Among the BFC derivatives, [125I]BFC-OMe and [125I]BFC-NH2 exhibited high brain uptake and favorable washout from the mouse brain. In vitro autoradiography demonstrated that the distribution of [125I]BFC-OMe in the brain tissues of mBSE-infected mice was colocalized with PrPSc deposits. Taken together, BFC derivatives appear to be promising prion imaging probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Nakaie
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Katayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Takehiro Nakagaki
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Sakura Yoshida
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Masao Kawasaki
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Kodai Nishi
- Department of Radioisotope Medicine, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Kazuma Ogawa
- Laboratory of Clinical Analytical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan.,Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Akira Toriba
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Nishida
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Morio Nakayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Takeshi Fuchigami
- Laboratory of Clinical Analytical Sciences, Graduate School, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron Caughey
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BC); (AK)
| | - Heidi G. Standke
- Department of Pathology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Efrosini Artikis
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Forrest Hoyt
- Research Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology and Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BC); (AK)
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Artikis E, Kraus A, Caughey B. Structural biology of ex vivo mammalian prions. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102181. [PMID: 35752366 PMCID: PMC9293645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The structures of prion protein (PrP)–based mammalian prions have long been elusive. However, cryo-EM has begun to reveal the near-atomic resolution structures of fully infectious ex vivo mammalian prion fibrils as well as relatively innocuous synthetic PrP amyloids. Comparisons of these various types of PrP fibrils are now providing initial clues to structural features that correlate with pathogenicity. As first indicated by electron paramagnetic resonance and solid-state NMR studies of synthetic amyloids, all sufficiently resolved PrP fibrils of any sort (n > 10) have parallel in-register intermolecular β-stack architectures. Cryo-EM has shown that infectious brain-derived prion fibrils of the rodent-adapted 263K and RML scrapie strains have much larger ordered cores than the synthetic fibrils. These bona fide prion strains share major structural motifs, but the conformational details and the overall shape of the fibril cross sections differ markedly. Such motif variations, as well as differences in sequence within the ordered polypeptide cores, likely contribute to strain-dependent templating. When present, N-linked glycans and glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors project outward from the fibril surface. For the mouse RML strain, these posttranslational modifications have little effect on the core structure. In the GPI-anchored prion structures, a linear array of GPI anchors along the twisting fibril axis appears likely to bind membranes in vivo, and as such, may account for pathognomonic membrane distortions seen in prion diseases. In this review, we focus on these infectious prion structures and their implications regarding prion replication mechanisms, strains, transmission barriers, and molecular pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efrosini Artikis
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840 USA
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840 USA.
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Nakaie M, Katayama F, Nakagaki T, Kawasaki M, Yoshida S, Toriba A, Ogawa K, Nishida N, Nakayama M, Fuchigami T. Synthesis and Characterization of Hydroxyethylamino- and Pyridyl-Substituted 2-Vinyl Chromone Derivatives for Detection of Cerebral Abnormal Prion Protein Deposits. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2022; 70:211-219. [PMID: 35228385 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c21-00902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of abnormal prion protein aggregates (PrPSc) in the brain. In this study, we developed hydroxyethylamino-substituted styrylchromone (SC) and 2-(2-(pyridin-3-yl)vinyl)-4H-chromen-4-one (VPC) derivatives for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of PrPSc deposits in the brain. The binding affinity of these compounds was evaluated using recombinant mouse prion protein (rMoPrP) aggregates, which resulted in the inhibition constant (Ki) value of 61.5 and 88.0 nM for hydroxyethyl derivative, (E)-2-(4-((2-hydroxyethyl)amino)styryl)-6-iodo-4H-chromen-4-one (SC-NHEtOH) and (E)-2-(4-((2-hydroxyethyl)(methyl)amino)styryl)-6-iodo-4H-chromen-4-one (SC-NMeEtOH), respectively. However, none of the VPC derivatives showed binding affinity for the rMoPrP aggregates. Fluorescent imaging demonstrated that the accumulation pattern of SC-NHEtOH matched with the presence of PrPSc in the brain slices from mouse-adapted bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected mice. A biodistribution study of normal mice indicated low initial brain uptake of [125I]SC-NHEtOH (0.88% injected dose/g (% ID/g) at 2 min) despite favorable washout from the brain (0.26% ID/g, at 180 min) was displayed. [125I]SC-NHEtOH exhibited binding affinities to both artificial prion aggregates as well as prion deposits in the brain. However, significant improvement in the binding affinity for PrPSc and blood-brain barrier permeability is necessary for the development of successful in vivo imaging probes for the detection of cerebral PrPSc in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Nakaie
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Fumihiro Katayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Takehiro Nakagaki
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Masao Kawasaki
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Sakura Yoshida
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Akira Toriba
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Kazuma Ogawa
- Laboratory of Clinical Analytical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University.,Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University
| | - Noriyuki Nishida
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Morio Nakayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Takeshi Fuchigami
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University.,Laboratory of Clinical Analytical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University
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11
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Amyloids facilitate DNA transfection in vivo. Neurosci Res 2022; 180:99-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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12
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High-resolution structure and strain comparison of infectious mammalian prions. Mol Cell 2021; 81:4540-4551.e6. [PMID: 34433091 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Within the extensive range of self-propagating pathologic protein aggregates of mammals, prions are the most clearly infectious (e.g., ∼109 lethal doses per milligram). The structures of such lethal assemblies of PrP molecules have been poorly understood. Here we report a near-atomic core structure of a brain-derived, fully infectious prion (263K strain). Cryo-electron microscopy showed amyloid fibrils assembled with parallel in-register intermolecular β sheets. Each monomer provides one rung of the ordered fibril core, with N-linked glycans and glycolipid anchors projecting outward. Thus, single monomers form the templating surface for incoming monomers at fibril ends, where prion growth occurs. Comparison to another prion strain (aRML) revealed major differences in fibril morphology but, like 263K, an asymmetric fibril cross-section without paired protofilaments. These findings provide structural insights into prion propagation, strains, species barriers, and membrane pathogenesis. This structure also helps frame considerations of factors influencing the relative transmissibility of other pathologic amyloids.
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13
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Jellinger KA, Wenning GK, Stefanova N. Is Multiple System Atrophy a Prion-like Disorder? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10093. [PMID: 34576255 PMCID: PMC8472631 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rapidly progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease of uncertain aetiology that belongs to the family of α-synucleinopathies. It clinically presents with parkinsonism, cerebellar, autonomic, and motor impairment in variable combinations. Pathological hallmarks are fibrillary α-synuclein (αSyn)-rich glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) mainly involving oligodendroglia and to a lesser extent neurons, inducing a multisystem neurodegeneration, glial activation, and widespread demyelinization. The neuronal αSyn pathology of MSA has molecular properties different from Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease (PD), both of which could serve as a pool of αSyn (prion) seeds that could initiate and drive the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. The molecular cascade leading to the "prion-like" transfer of "strains" of aggregated αSyn contributing to the progression of the disease is poorly understood, while some presented evidence that MSA is a prion disease. However, this hypothesis is difficult to reconcile with postmortem analysis of human brains and the fact that MSA-like pathology was induced by intracerebral inoculation of human MSA brain homogenates only in homozygous mutant 53T mice, without production of disease-specific GCIs, or with replication of MSA prions in primary astrocyte cultures from transgenic mice expressing human αSyn. Whereas recent intrastriatal injection of Lewy body-derived or synthetic human αSyn fibrils induced PD-like pathology including neuronal αSyn aggregates in macaques, no such transmission of αSyn pathology in non-human primates by MSA brain lysate has been reported until now. Given the similarities between αSyn and prions, there is a considerable debate whether they should be referred to as "prions", "prion-like", "prionoids", or something else. Here, the findings supporting the proposed nature of αSyn as a prion and its self-propagation through seeding as well as the transmissibility of neurodegenerative disorders are discussed. The proof of disease causation rests on the concordance of scientific evidence, none of which has provided convincing evidence for the classification of MSA as a prion disease or its human transmission until now.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregor K. Wenning
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (G.K.W.); (N.S.)
| | - Nadia Stefanova
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (G.K.W.); (N.S.)
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14
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Orrú CD, Groveman BR, Foutz A, Bongianni M, Cardone F, McKenzie N, Culeux A, Poleggi A, Grznarova K, Perra D, Fiorini M, Liu X, Ladogana A, Sbriccoli M, Hughson AG, Haïk S, Green AJ, Geschwind MD, Pocchiari M, Safar JG, Zanusso G, Caughey B. Ring trial of 2nd generation RT-QuIC diagnostic tests for sporadic CJD. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:2262-2271. [PMID: 33185334 PMCID: PMC7664259 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Real‐time quaking‐induced conversion (RT‐QuIC) assays detect prion‐seeding activity in a variety of human biospecimens, including cerebrospinal fluid and olfactory mucosa swabs. The assay has shown high diagnostic accuracy in patients with prion disorders. Recently, advances in these tests have led to markedly improved diagnostic sensitivity and reduced assay times. Accordingly, an algorithm has been proposed that entails the use of RT‐QuIC analysis of both sample types to diagnose sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease with nearly 100% accuracy. Here we present a multi‐center evaluation (ring trial) of the reproducibility of these improved “second generation” RT‐QuIC assays as applied to these diagnostic specimens. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid samples were analyzed from subjects with sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob (n = 55) or other neurological diseases (n = 45) at multiple clinical centers. Olfactory mucosa brushings collected by multiple otolaryngologists were obtained from nine sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease cases and 19 controls. These sample sets were initially tested blindly by RT‐QuIC by a coordinating laboratory, recoded, and then sent to five additional testing laboratories for blinded ring trial testing. Results Unblinding of the results by a third party indicated 98‐100% concordance between the results obtained by the testing of these cerebrospinal fluid and nasal brushings at the six laboratories. Interpretation This second‐generation RT‐QuIC assay is highly transferrable, reproducible, and therefore robust for the diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina D. Orrú
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute for Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
| | - Bradley R. Groveman
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute for Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
| | - Aaron Foutz
- Departments of Pathology and NeurologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Matilde Bongianni
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Franco Cardone
- Department of NeuroscienceIstituto Superiore di SanitàRomeItaly
| | - Neil McKenzie
- National CJD Research and Surveillance UnitCentre for Clinical Brain SciencesSchool of Clinical SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Audrey Culeux
- Sorbonne UniversitéINSERMCNRSUMR 7225Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièreICMParisFrance
| | - Anna Poleggi
- Department of NeuroscienceIstituto Superiore di SanitàRomeItaly
| | - Katarina Grznarova
- Sorbonne UniversitéINSERMCNRSUMR 7225Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièreICMParisFrance
| | - Daniela Perra
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Michele Fiorini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Xiaoqin Liu
- Departments of Pathology and NeurologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Anna Ladogana
- Department of NeuroscienceIstituto Superiore di SanitàRomeItaly
| | - Marco Sbriccoli
- Department of NeuroscienceIstituto Superiore di SanitàRomeItaly
| | - Andrew G. Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute for Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
| | - Stéphane Haïk
- Sorbonne UniversitéINSERMCNRSUMR 7225Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièreICMParisFrance
| | - Alison J. Green
- National CJD Research and Surveillance UnitCentre for Clinical Brain SciencesSchool of Clinical SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael D. Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging CenterUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Jiri G. Safar
- Departments of Pathology and NeurologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute for Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of HealthHamiltonMontanaUSA
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15
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Ascari LM, Rocha SC, Gonçalves PB, Vieira TCRG, Cordeiro Y. Challenges and Advances in Antemortem Diagnosis of Human Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:585896. [PMID: 33195151 PMCID: PMC7606880 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.585896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, arise from the structural conversion of the monomeric, cellular prion protein (PrPC) into its multimeric scrapie form (PrPSc). These pathologies comprise a group of intractable, rapidly evolving neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, a definitive diagnosis of TSE relies on the detection of PrPSc and/or the identification of pathognomonic histological features in brain tissue samples, which are usually obtained postmortem or, in rare cases, by brain biopsy (antemortem). Over the past two decades, several paraclinical tests for antemortem diagnosis have been developed to preclude the need for brain samples. Some of these alternative methods have been validated and can provide a probable diagnosis when combined with clinical evaluation. Paraclinical tests include in vitro cell-free conversion techniques, such as the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), as well as immunoassays, electroencephalography (EEG), and brain bioimaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), whose importance has increased over the years. PrPSc is the main biomarker in TSEs, and the RT-QuIC assay stands out for its ability to detect PrPSc in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), olfactory mucosa, and dermatome skin samples with high sensitivity and specificity. Other biochemical biomarkers are the proteins 14-3-3, tau, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), astroglial protein S100B, α-synuclein, and neurofilament light chain protein (NFL), but they are not specific for TSEs. This paper reviews the techniques employed for definite diagnosis, as well as the clinical and paraclinical methods for possible and probable diagnosis, both those in use currently and those no longer employed. We also discuss current criteria, challenges, and perspectives for TSE diagnosis. An early and accurate diagnosis may allow earlier implementation of strategies to delay or stop disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas M. Ascari
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stephanie C. Rocha
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Priscila B. Gonçalves
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tuane C. R. G. Vieira
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Yraima Cordeiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Myers R, Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P. Insight From Animals Resistant to Prion Diseases: Deciphering the Genotype - Morphotype - Phenotype Code for the Prion Protein. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:254. [PMID: 33013324 PMCID: PMC7461849 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative diseases endemic in humans and several ruminants caused by the misfolding of native prion protein (PrP) into pathological conformations. Experimental work and the mad-cow epidemic of the 1980s exposed a wide spectrum of animal susceptibility to prion diseases, including a few highly resistant animals: horses, rabbits, pigs, and dogs/canids. The variable susceptibility to disease offers a unique opportunity to uncover the mechanisms governing PrP misfolding, neurotoxicity, and transmission. Previous work indicates that PrP-intrinsic differences (sequence) are the main contributors to disease susceptibility. Several residues have been cited as critical for encoding PrP conformational stability in prion-resistant animals, including D/E159 in dog, S167 in horse, and S174 in rabbit and pig PrP (all according to human numbering). These amino acids alter PrP properties in a variety of assays, but we still do not clearly understand the structural correlates of PrP toxicity. Additional insight can be extracted from comparative structural studies, followed by molecular dynamics simulations of selected mutations, and testing in manipulable animal models. Our working hypothesis is that protective amino acids generate more compact and stable structures in a C-terminal subdomain of the PrP globular domain. We will explore this idea in this review and identify subdomains within the globular domain that may hold the key to unravel how conformational stability and disease susceptibility are encoded in PrP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United States
| | - Alessandro Cembran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, United States
| | - Pedro Fernandez-Funez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, United States
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17
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Zaccagnini L, Rossetti G, Tran TH, Salzano G, Gandini A, Colini Baldeschi A, Bolognesi ML, Carloni P, Legname G. In silico/in vitro screening and hit evaluation identified new phenothiazine anti-prion derivatives. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 196:112295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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18
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Carroll JA, Race B, Williams K, Striebel J, Chesebro B. RNA-seq and network analysis reveal unique glial gene expression signatures during prion infection. Mol Brain 2020; 13:71. [PMID: 32381108 PMCID: PMC7206698 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00610-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Prion diseases and prion-like disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are characterized by gliosis and accumulation of misfolded aggregated host proteins. Ablating microglia in prion-infected brain by treatment with the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitor, PLX5622, increased accumulation of misfolded prion protein and decreased survival time. Methods To better understand the role of glia during neurodegeneration, we used RNA-seq technology, network analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis to compare gene expression in brains of prion-infected versus mock-inoculated mice. Comparisons were also made between PLX5622-treated prion-infected mice and untreated prion-infected mice to assess mechanisms involved in disease acceleration in the absence of microglia. Results RNA-seq and network analysis suggested that microglia responded to prion infection through activation of integrin CD11c/18 and did not adopt the expression signature associated with other neurodegenerative disease models. Instead, microglia acquired an alternative molecular signature late in the disease process. Furthermore, astrocytes expressed a signature pattern of genes which appeared to be specific for prion diseases. Comparisons were also made with prion-infected mice treated with PLX5622 to assess the impact of microglia ablation on astrocyte gene expression during prion infection. In the presence of microglia, a unique mix of transcripts associated with A1- and A2-reactive astrocytes was increased in brains of prion-infected mice. After ablation of microglia, this reactive astrocyte expression pattern was enhanced. Thus, after prion infection, microglia appeared to decrease the overall A1/A2-astrocyte responses which might contribute to increased survival after infection. Conclusions RNA-seq analysis indicated dysregulation of over 300 biological processes within the CNS during prion disease. Distinctive microglia- and astrocyte-associated expression signatures were identified during prion infection. Furthermore, astrogliosis and the unique astrocyte-associated expression signature were independent of microglial influences. Astrogliosis and the unique astrocyte-associated gene expression pattern were increased when microglia were ablated. Our findings emphasize the potential existence of alternative pathways for activating the A1/A2 paradigm in astrocytes during neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A Carroll
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA.
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Katie Williams
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - James Striebel
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Bruce Chesebro
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
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19
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Fuchigami T, Kawasaki M, Koyama R, Nakaie M, Nakagaki T, Sano K, Atarashi R, Yoshida S, Haratake M, Ono M, Nishida N, Nakayama M. Development of Radioiodinated Benzofuran Derivatives for in Vivo Imaging of Prion Deposits in the Brain. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:2003-2013. [PMID: 30875466 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders associated with the deposition of abnormal prion protein aggregates (PrPSc) in the brain tissue. Here, we report the development of 125I-labeled iodobenzofuran (IBF) derivatives as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging probes to detect cerebral PrPSc deposits. We synthesized and radioiodinated several 5-IBF and 6-IBF derivatives. The IBF derivatives were evaluated as prion imaging probes using recombinant mouse prion protein (rMoPrP) aggregates and brain sections of mouse-adapted bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mBSE)-infected mice. Although all the IBF derivatives were strongly adsorbed on the rMoPrP aggregates, [125I]5-IBF-NHMe displayed the highest adsorption rate and potent binding affinity with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 12.3 nM. Fluorescence imaging using IBF-NHMe showed clear signals of the PrPSc-positive amyloid deposits in the mBSE-infected mouse brains. Biodistribution studies in normal mice demonstrated slow uptake and clearance from the brain of 125I-IBF derivatives. Among the derivatives, [125I]6-IBF-NH2 showed the highest peak brain uptake [2.59% injected dose (ID)/g at 10 min] and good clearance (0.51% ID/g at 180 min). Although the brain distribution of IBF derivatives should still be optimized for in vivo imaging, these compounds showed prospective binding properties to PrPSc. Further chemical modification of these IBF derivatives may contribute to the discovery of clinically applicable prion imaging probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Fuchigami
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Masao Kawasaki
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Koyama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Mari Nakaie
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Takehiro Nakagaki
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Kazunori Sano
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan
| | - Ryuichiro Atarashi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
| | - Sakura Yoshida
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
| | - Mamoru Haratake
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, 4-22-1 Ikeda, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Masahiro Ono
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida Shimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Nishida
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Morio Nakayama
- Department of Hygienic Chemistry, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan
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20
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Caughey B, Kraus A. Transmissibility versus Pathogenicity of Self-Propagating Protein Aggregates. Viruses 2019; 11:E1044. [PMID: 31717531 PMCID: PMC6893620 DOI: 10.3390/v11111044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The prion-like spreading and accumulation of specific protein aggregates appear to be central to the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Accumulating evidence indicates that inoculation of tissue extracts from diseased individuals into suitable experimental animals can in many cases induce the aggregation of the disease-associated protein, as well as related pathological lesions. These findings, together with the history of the prion field, have raised the questions about whether such disease-associated protein aggregates are transmissible between humans by casual or iatrogenic routes, and, if so, do they propagate enough in the new host to cause disease? These practical considerations are important because real, and perhaps even only imagined, risks of human-to-human transmission of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's may force costly changes in clinical practice that, in turn, are likely to have unintended consequences. The prion field has taught us that a single protein, PrP, can aggregate into forms that can propagate exponentially in vitro, but range from being innocuous to deadly when injected into experimental animals in ways that depend strongly on factors such as conformational subtleties, routes of inoculation, and host responses. In assessing the hazards posed by various disease-associated, self-propagating protein aggregates, it is imperative to consider both their actual transmissibilities and the pathological consequences of their propagation, if any, in recipient hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Allison Kraus
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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21
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Cauda F, Nani A, Manuello J, Premi E, Palermo S, Tatu K, Duca S, Fox PT, Costa T. Brain structural alterations are distributed following functional, anatomic and genetic connectivity. Brain 2019; 141:3211-3232. [PMID: 30346490 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological brain is characterized by distributed morphological or structural alterations in the grey matter, which tend to follow identifiable network-like patterns. We analysed the patterns formed by these alterations (increased and decreased grey matter values detected with the voxel-based morphometry technique) conducting an extensive transdiagnostic search of voxel-based morphometry studies in a large variety of brain disorders. We devised an innovative method to construct the networks formed by the structurally co-altered brain areas, which can be considered as pathological structural co-alteration patterns, and to compare these patterns with three associated types of connectivity profiles (functional, anatomical, and genetic). Our study provides transdiagnostical evidence that structural co-alterations are influenced by connectivity constraints rather than being randomly distributed. Analyses show that although all the three types of connectivity taken together can account for and predict with good statistical accuracy, the shape and temporal development of the co-alteration patterns, functional connectivity offers the better account of the structural co-alteration, followed by anatomic and genetic connectivity. These results shed new light on the possible mechanisms at the root of neuropathological processes and open exciting prospects in the quest for a better understanding of brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Cauda
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Nani
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Jordi Manuello
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Enrico Premi
- Stroke Unit, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Spedali Civili, Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy.,Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Karina Tatu
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Sergio Duca
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Peter T Fox
- Research Imaging Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA.,South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Tommaso Costa
- GCS-fMRI, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,FOCUS Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Perani D, Iaccarino L, Lammertsma AA, Windhorst AD, Edison P, Boellaard R, Hansson O, Nordberg A, Jacobs AH. A new perspective for advanced positron emission tomography-based molecular imaging in neurodegenerative proteinopathies. Alzheimers Dement 2019; 15:1081-1103. [PMID: 31230910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies in neurodegenerative conditions have increasingly highlighted that the same neuropathology can trigger different clinical phenotypes or, vice-versa, that similar phenotypes can be triggered by different neuropathologies. This evidence has called for the adoption of a pathology spectrum-based approach to study neurodegenerative proteinopathies. These conditions share brain deposition of abnormal protein aggregates, leading to aberrant biochemical, metabolic, functional, and structural changes. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a well-recognized and unique tool for the in vivo assessment of brain neuropathology, and novel PET techniques are emerging for the study of specific protein species. Today, key applications of PET range from early research and clinical diagnostic tools to their use in clinical trials for both participants screening and outcome evaluation. This position article critically reviews the role of distinct PET molecular tracers for different neurodegenerative proteinopathies, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, with special emphasis on methodological challenges and future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Perani
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Nuclear Medicine Unit San Raffaele Hospital, Division of Neuroscience San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Iaccarino
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Nuclear Medicine Unit San Raffaele Hospital, Division of Neuroscience San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriaan A Lammertsma
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Albert D Windhorst
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Edison
- Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK; Neurology Imaging Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ronald Boellaard
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Agneta Nordberg
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Alzheimer Research, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas H Jacobs
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Evangelische Kliniken Bonn gGmbH, Johanniter Krankenhaus, Bonn, Germany.
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Neuroinflammation, Microglia, and Cell-Association during Prion Disease. Viruses 2019; 11:v11010065. [PMID: 30650564 PMCID: PMC6356204 DOI: 10.3390/v11010065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion disorders are transmissible diseases caused by a proteinaceous infectious agent that can infect the lymphatic and nervous systems. The clinical features of prion diseases can vary, but common hallmarks in the central nervous system (CNS) are deposition of abnormally folded protease-resistant prion protein (PrPres or PrPSc), astrogliosis, microgliosis, and neurodegeneration. Numerous proinflammatory effectors expressed by astrocytes and microglia are increased in the brain during prion infection, with many of them potentially damaging to neurons when chronically upregulated. Microglia are important first responders to foreign agents and damaged cells in the CNS, but these immune-like cells also serve many essential functions in the healthy CNS. Our current understanding is that microglia are beneficial during prion infection and critical to host defense against prion disease. Studies indicate that reduction of the microglial population accelerates disease and increases PrPSc burden in the CNS. Thus, microglia are unlikely to be a foci of prion propagation in the brain. In contrast, neurons and astrocytes are known to be involved in prion replication and spread. Moreover, certain astrocytes, such as A1 reactive astrocytes, have proven neurotoxic in other neurodegenerative diseases, and thus might also influence the progression of prion-associated neurodegeneration.
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24
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Mechanism of aggregation and membrane interactions of mammalian prion protein. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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25
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Orrú CD, Yuan J, Appleby BS, Li B, Li Y, Winner D, Wang Z, Zhan YA, Rodgers M, Rarick J, Wyza RE, Joshi T, Wang GX, Cohen ML, Zhang S, Groveman BR, Petersen RB, Ironside JW, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Safar JG, Kong Q, Caughey B, Zou WQ. Prion seeding activity and infectivity in skin samples from patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Sci Transl Med 2018; 9:9/417/eaam7785. [PMID: 29167394 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aam7785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common human prion disease, is transmissible through iatrogenic routes due to abundant infectious prions [misfolded forms of the prion protein (PrPSc)] in the central nervous system (CNS). Some epidemiological studies have associated sCJD risk with non-CNS surgeries. We explored the potential prion seeding activity and infectivity of skin from sCJD patients. Autopsy or biopsy skin samples from 38 patients [21 sCJD, 2 variant CJD (vCJD), and 15 non-CJD] were analyzed by Western blotting and real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) for PrPSc Skin samples from two patients were further examined for prion infectivity by bioassay using two lines of humanized transgenic mice. Western blotting revealed dermal PrPSc in one of five deceased sCJD patients and one of two vCJD patients. However, the more sensitive RT-QuIC assay detected prion seeding activity in skin from all 23 CJD decedents but not in skin from any non-CJD control individuals (with other neurological conditions or other diseases) during blinded testing. Although sCJD patient skin contained ~103- to 105-fold lower prion seeding activity than did sCJD patient brain tissue, all 12 mice from two transgenic mouse lines inoculated with sCJD skin homogenates from two sCJD patients succumbed to prion disease within 564 days after inoculation. Our study demonstrates that the skin of sCJD patients contains both prion seeding activity and infectivity, which raises concerns about the potential for iatrogenic sCJD transmission via skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina D Orrú
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Jue Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Brian S Appleby
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Baiya Li
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Dane Winner
- University Hospital Translational Laboratory, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Zerui Wang
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-An Zhan
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Mark Rodgers
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Jason Rarick
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Robert E Wyza
- Human Tissue Procurement Facility, Comprehensive Cancer Center Tissue Resources Core, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Tripti Joshi
- Human Tissue Procurement Facility, Comprehensive Cancer Center Tissue Resources Core, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gong-Xian Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Mark L Cohen
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Shulin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Bradley R Groveman
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Robert B Petersen
- Foundation Sciences, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA
| | - James W Ironside
- National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Miguel E Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,University Hospital Translational Laboratory, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Jiri G Safar
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Qingzhong Kong
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA.
| | - Wen-Quan Zou
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China.,Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Regenerative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.,State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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26
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Collu F, Spiga E, Chakroun N, Rezaei H, Fraternali F. Probing the early stages of prion protein (PrP) aggregation with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Chem Commun (Camb) 2018; 54:8007-8010. [PMID: 29967919 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc04089c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Prions are self-replicating infectious proteinaceous agents whose conformations are capable of forming amyloid-like aggregate fibrils. Here we present molecular dynamics simulations aimed at investigating the aggregation process of the β-rich H2H3 domain of the ovine prion protein (H2H3-OvPrPSc), known to be the portion of prion protein carrying oligomerization activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Collu
- King's College London, Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics, London, UK.
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27
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Hermes Transposon Mutagenesis Shows [URE3] Prion Pathology Prevented by a Ubiquitin-Targeting Protein: Evidence for Carbon/Nitrogen Assimilation Cross Talk and a Second Function for Ure2p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2018; 209:789-800. [PMID: 29769283 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.118.300981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
[URE3] is an amyloid-based prion of Ure2p, a regulator of nitrogen catabolism. While most "variants" of the [URE3] prion are toxic, mild variants that only slightly slow growth are more widely studied. The existence of several antiprion systems suggests that some components may be protecting cells from potential detrimental effects of mild [URE3] variants. Our extensive Hermes transposon mutagenesis showed that disruption of YLR352W dramatically slows the growth of [URE3-1] strains. Ylr352wp is an F-box protein, directing selection of substrates for ubiquitination by a "cullin"-containing E3 ligase. For efficient ubiquitylation, cullin-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligases must be NEDDylated, modified by a ubiquitin-related peptide called NEDD8 (Rub1p in yeast). Indeed, we find that disruption of NEDDylation-related genes RUB1, ULA1, UBA3, and UBC12 is also counterselected in our screen. We find that like ylr352wΔ [URE3] strains, ylr352wΔ ure2Δ strains do not grow on nonfermentable carbon sources. Overexpression of Hap4p, a transcription factor stimulating expression of mitochondrial proteins, or mutation of GLN1, encoding glutamine synthetase, allows growth of ylr352w∆ [URE3] strains on glycerol media. Supplying proline as a nitrogen source shuts off the nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) function of Ure2p, but does not slow growth of ylr352wΔ strains, suggesting a distinct function of Ure2p in carbon catabolism. Also, gln1 mutations impair NCR, but actually relieve the growth defect of ylr352wΔ [URE3] and ylr352wΔ ure2Δ strains, again showing that loss of NCR is not producing the growth defect and suggesting that Ure2p has another function. YLR352W largely protects cells from the deleterious effects of otherwise mild [URE3] variants or of a ure2 mutation (the latter a rarer event), and we name it LUG1 (lets [URE3]/ure2 grow).
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28
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Aucoin D, Xia Y, Theint T, Nadaud PS, Surewicz K, Surewicz WK, Jaroniec CP. Protein-solvent interfaces in human Y145Stop prion protein amyloid fibrils probed by paramagnetic solid-state NMR spectroscopy. J Struct Biol 2018; 206:36-42. [PMID: 29679649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminally truncated Y145Stop variant of prion protein (PrP23-144), which is associated with heritable PrP cerebral amyloid angiopathy in humans and also capable of triggering a transmissible prion disease in mice, serves as a useful in vitro model for investigating the molecular and structural basis of amyloid strains and cross-seeding specificities. Here, we determine the protein-solvent interfaces in human PrP23-144 amyloid fibrils generated from recombinant 13C,15N-enriched protein and incubated in aqueous solution containing paramagnetic Cu(II)-EDTA, by measuring residue-specific 15N longitudinal paramagnetic relaxation enhancements using two-dimensional magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy. To further probe the interactions of the amyloid core residues with solvent molecules we perform complementary measurements of amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange detected by solid-state NMR and solution NMR methods. The solvent accessibility data are evaluated in the context of the structural model for human PrP23-144 amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darryl Aucoin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yongjie Xia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Theint Theint
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Philippe S Nadaud
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Krystyna Surewicz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Witold K Surewicz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Christopher P Jaroniec
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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29
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Sevillano AM, Fernández-Borges N, Younas N, Wang F, R. Elezgarai S, Bravo S, Vázquez-Fernández E, Rosa I, Eraña H, Gil D, Veiga S, Vidal E, Erickson-Beltran ML, Guitián E, Silva CJ, Nonno R, Ma J, Castilla J, R. Requena J. Recombinant PrPSc shares structural features with brain-derived PrPSc: Insights from limited proteolysis. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1006797. [PMID: 29385212 PMCID: PMC5809102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Very solid evidence suggests that the core of full length PrPSc is a 4-rung β-solenoid, and that individual PrPSc subunits stack to form amyloid fibers. We recently used limited proteolysis to map the β-strands and connecting loops that make up the PrPSc solenoid. Using high resolution SDS-PAGE followed by epitope analysis, and mass spectrometry, we identified positions ~116/118, 133-134, 141, 152-153, 162, 169 and 179 (murine numbering) as Proteinase K (PK) cleavage sites in PrPSc. Such sites likely define loops and/or borders of β-strands, helping us to predict the threading of the β-solenoid. We have now extended this approach to recombinant PrPSc (recPrPSc). The term recPrPSc refers to bona fide recombinant prions prepared by PMCA, exhibiting infectivity with attack rates of ~100%. Limited proteolysis of mouse and bank vole recPrPSc species yielded N-terminally truncated PK-resistant fragments similar to those seen in brain-derived PrPSc, albeit with varying relative yields. Along with these fragments, doubly N- and C-terminally truncated fragments, in particular ~89/97-152, were detected in some recPrPSc preparations; similar fragments are characteristic of atypical strains of brain-derived PrPSc. Our results suggest a shared architecture of recPrPSc and brain PrPSc prions. The observed differences, in particular the distinct yields of specific PK-resistant fragments, are likely due to differences in threading which result in the specific biochemical characteristics of recPrPSc. Furthermore, recombinant PrPSc offers exciting opportunities for structural studies unachievable with brain-derived PrPSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro M. Sevillano
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- * E-mail: (AMS); (JRR)
| | | | - Neelam Younas
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Fei Wang
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | | | - Susana Bravo
- Proteomics Lab, IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - Isaac Rosa
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | | | - Sonia Veiga
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Enric Vidal
- Priocat Laboratory, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Esteban Guitián
- Mass spectrometry Core Facility, RIAIDT, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Christopher J. Silva
- USDA, ARS Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California, United States of America
| | - Romolo Nonno
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America
| | | | - Jesús R. Requena
- CIMUS Biomedical Research Institute and Department of Medical Sciences University of Santiago de Compostela-IDIS, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- * E-mail: (AMS); (JRR)
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30
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Prion propagation and inositol polyphosphates. Curr Genet 2017; 64:571-574. [PMID: 29243174 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0788-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The [PSI+] prion is a folded in-register parallel β-sheet amyloid (filamentous polymer) of Sup35p, a subunit of the translation termination factor. Our searches for anti-prion systems led to our finding that certain soluble inositol polyphosphates (IPs) are important for the propagation of the [PSI+] prion. The IPs affect a wide range of processes, including mRNA export, telomere length, phosphate and polyphosphate metabolism, energy regulation, transcription and translation. We found that 5-diphosphoinositol tetra(or penta)kisphosphate or inositol hexakisphosphate could support [PSI+] prion propagation, and 1-diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate appears to inhibit the process.
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31
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Grizel AV, Rubel AA, Chernoff YO. Strain conformation controls the specificity of cross-species prion transmission in the yeast model. Prion 2017; 10:269-82. [PMID: 27565563 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2016.1204060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmissible self-assembled fibrous cross-β polymer infectious proteins (prions) cause neurodegenerative diseases in mammals and control non-Mendelian heritable traits in yeast. Cross-species prion transmission is frequently impaired, due to sequence differences in prion-forming proteins. Recent studies of prion species barrier on the model of closely related yeast species show that colocalization of divergent proteins is not sufficient for the cross-species prion transmission, and that an identity of specific amino acid sequences and a type of prion conformational variant (strain) play a major role in the control of transmission specificity. In contrast, chemical compounds primarily influence transmission specificity via favoring certain strain conformations, while the species origin of the host cell has only a relatively minor input. Strain alterations may occur during cross-species prion conversion in some combinations. The model is discussed which suggests that different recipient proteins can acquire different spectra of prion strain conformations, which could be either compatible or incompatible with a particular donor strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia V Grizel
- a Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,b Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,c Department of Genetics and Biotechnology , St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia
| | - Aleksandr A Rubel
- a Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,b Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,c Department of Genetics and Biotechnology , St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia
| | - Yury O Chernoff
- a Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,b Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University , St. Petersburg , Russia.,d School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , GA , USA
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PrP P102L and Nearby Lysine Mutations Promote Spontaneous In Vitro Formation of Transmissible Prions. J Virol 2017; 91:JVI.01276-17. [PMID: 28835493 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01276-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of fibrillar protein aggregates is a hallmark of many diseases. While numerous proteins form fibrils by prion-like seeded polymerization in vitro, only some are transmissible and pathogenic in vivo To probe the structural features that confer transmissibility to prion protein (PrP) fibrils, we have analyzed synthetic PrP amyloids with or without the human prion disease-associated P102L mutation. The formation of infectious prions from PrP molecules in vitro has required cofactors and/or unphysiological denaturing conditions. Here, we demonstrate that, under physiologically compatible conditions without cofactors, the P102L mutation in recombinant hamster PrP promoted prion formation when seeded by minute amounts of scrapie prions in vitro Surprisingly, combination of the P102L mutation with charge-neutralizing substitutions of four nearby lysines promoted spontaneous prion formation. When inoculated into hamsters, both of these types of synthetic prions initiated substantial accumulation of prion seeding activity and protease-resistant PrP without transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) clinical signs or notable glial activation. Our evidence suggests that PrP's centrally located proline and lysine residues act as conformational switches in the in vitro formation of transmissible PrP amyloids.IMPORTANCE Many diseases involve the damaging accumulation of specific misfolded proteins in thread-like aggregates. These threads (fibrils) are capable of growing on the ends by seeding the refolding and incorporation of the normal form of the given protein. In many cases such aggregates can be infectious and propagate like prions when transmitted from one individual host to another. Some transmitted aggregates can cause fatal disease, as with human iatrogenic prion diseases, while other aggregates appear to be relatively innocuous. The factors that distinguish infectious and pathogenic protein aggregates from more innocuous ones are poorly understood. Here we have compared the combined effects of prion seeding and mutations of prion protein (PrP) on the structure and transmission properties of synthetic PrP aggregates. Our results highlight the influence of specific sequence features in the normally unstructured region of PrP that influence the infectious and neuropathogenic properties of PrP-derived aggregates.
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33
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Species-dependent structural polymorphism of Y145Stop prion protein amyloid revealed by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Nat Commun 2017; 8:753. [PMID: 28963458 PMCID: PMC5622040 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00794-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most puzzling aspects of the prion diseases is the intricate relationship between prion strains and interspecies transmissibility barriers. Previously we have shown that certain fundamental aspects of mammalian prion propagation, including the strain phenomenon and species barriers, can be reproduced in vitro in seeded fibrillization of the Y145Stop prion protein variant. Here, we use solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to gain atomic level insight into the structural differences between Y145Stop prion protein amyloids from three species: human, mouse, and Syrian hamster. Remarkably, we find that these structural differences are largely controlled by only two amino acids at positions 112 and 139, and that the same residues appear to be key to the emergence of structurally distinct amyloid strains within the same protein sequence. The role of these residues as conformational switches can be rationalized based on a model for human Y145Stop prion protein amyloid, providing a foundation for understanding cross-seeding specificity. Prion diseases can be transmitted across species. Here the authors use solid-state NMR to study prion protein (PrP) amyloids from human, mouse and Syrian hamster and show that their structural differences are mainly governed by two residues, which helps to understand interspecies PrP propagation on a molecular level.
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34
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Role of the central lysine cluster and scrapie templating in the transmissibility of synthetic prion protein aggregates. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006623. [PMID: 28910420 PMCID: PMC5614645 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prion structures and replication mechanisms are poorly understood. Most synthetic recombinant prion protein (rPrP) amyloids prepared without cofactors are non-infectious or much less infectious than bona fide tissue-derived PrPSc. This effect has been associated with differences in folding of the aggregates, manifested in part by reduced solvent exclusion and protease-resistance in rPrP amyloids, especially within residues ~90-160. Substitution of 4 lysines within residues 101-110 of rPrP (central lysine cluster) with alanines (K4A) or asparagines (K4N) allows formation of aggregates with extended proteinase K (PK) resistant cores reminiscent of PrPSc, particularly when seeded with PrPSc. Here we have compared the infectivity of rPrP aggregates made with K4N, K4A or wild-type (WT) rPrP, after seeding with scrapie brain homogenate (ScBH) or normal brain homogenate (NBH). None of these preparations caused clinical disease on first passage into rodents. However, the ScBH-seeded fibrils (only) led to a subclinical pathogenesis as indicated by increases in prion seeding activity, neuropathology, and abnormal PrP in the brain. Seeding activities usually accumulated to much higher levels in animals inoculated with ScBH-seeded fibrils made with the K4N, rather than WT, rPrP molecules. Brain homogenates from subclinical animals induced clinical disease on second passage into "hamsterized" Tg7 mice, with shorter incubation times in animals inoculated with ScBH-seeded K4N rPrP fibrils. On second passage from animals inoculated with ScBH-seeded WT fibrils, we detected an additional PK resistant PrP fragment that was similar to that of bona fide PrPSc. Together these data indicate that both the central lysine cluster and scrapie seeding of rPrP aggregates influence the induction of PrP misfolding, neuropathology and clinical manifestations upon passage in vivo. We confirm that some rPrP aggregates can initiate further aggregation without typical pathogenesis in vivo. We also provide evidence that there is little, if any, biohazard associated with routine RT-QuIC assays.
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High diagnostic value of second generation CSF RT-QuIC across the wide spectrum of CJD prions. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10655. [PMID: 28878311 PMCID: PMC5587608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10922-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
An early and accurate in vivo diagnosis of rapidly progressive dementia remains challenging, despite its critical importance for the outcome of treatable forms, and the formulation of prognosis. Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) is an in vitro assay that, for the first time, specifically discriminates patients with prion disease. Here, using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 239 patients with definite or probable prion disease and 100 patients with a definite alternative diagnosis, we compared the performance of the first (PQ-CSF) and second generation (IQ-CSF) RT-QuIC assays, and investigated the diagnostic value of IQ-CSF across the broad spectrum of human prions. Our results confirm the high sensitivity of IQ-CSF for detecting human prions with a sub-optimal sensitivity for the sporadic CJD subtypes MM2C and MM2T, and a low sensitivity limited to variant CJD, Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome and fatal familial insomnia. While we found no difference in specificity between PQ-CSF and IQ-CSF, the latter showed a significant improvement in sensitivity, allowing prion detection in about 80% of PQ-CSF negative CJD samples. Our results strongly support the implementation of IQ-CSF in clinical practice. By rapidly confirming or excluding CJD with high accuracy the assay is expected to improve the outcome for patients and their enrollment in therapeutic trials.
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Batlle C, Iglesias V, Navarro S, Ventura S. Prion-like proteins and their computational identification in proteomes. Expert Rev Proteomics 2017; 14:335-350. [DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2017.1304214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Batlle
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valentin Iglesias
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Navarro
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Urrea L, Segura-Feliu M, Masuda-Suzukake M, Hervera A, Pedraz L, García Aznar JM, Vila M, Samitier J, Torrents E, Ferrer I, Gavín R, Hagesawa M, Del Río JA. Involvement of Cellular Prion Protein in α-Synuclein Transport in Neurons. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:1847-1860. [PMID: 28229331 PMCID: PMC5840251 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0451-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The cellular prion protein, encoded by the gene Prnp, has been reported to be a receptor of β-amyloid. Their interaction is mandatory for neurotoxic effects of β-amyloid oligomers. In this study, we aimed to explore whether the cellular prion protein participates in the spreading of α-synuclein. Results demonstrate that Prnp expression is not mandatory for α-synuclein spreading. However, although the pathological spreading of α-synuclein can take place in the absence of Prnp, α-synuclein expanded faster in PrPC-overexpressing mice. In addition, α-synuclein binds strongly on PrPC-expressing cells, suggesting a role in modulating the effect of α-synuclein fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Urrea
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Segura-Feliu
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Masami Masuda-Suzukake
- Department of Dementia and Higher Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucas Pedraz
- Bacterial infections: antimicrobial therapies. Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Manuel García Aznar
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Miquel Vila
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Samitier
- Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Electronics, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduard Torrents
- Bacterial infections: antimicrobial therapies. Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidro Ferrer
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neuropatologia, IDIBELL-Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
- Departamento de Patologia y Terapeutica Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosalina Gavín
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Masato Hagesawa
- Department of Dementia and Higher Brain Function, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - José Antonio Del Río
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Identification of novel fluorescent probes preventing PrP Sc replication in prion diseases. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 127:859-873. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.10.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Kakish J, Allen KJH, Harkness TA, Krol ES, Lee JS. Novel Dimer Compounds That Bind α-Synuclein Can Rescue Cell Growth in a Yeast Model Overexpressing α-Synuclein. A Possible Prevention Strategy for Parkinson's Disease. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:1671-1680. [PMID: 27673434 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The misfolding of α-synuclein is a critical event in the death of dopaminergic neurons and the progression of Parkinson's disease. Previously, it was suggested that drugs, which bind to α-synuclein and form a loop structure between the N- and C-termini, tend to be neuroprotective, whereas others, which cause a more compact structure, tend to be neurotoxic. To improve the binding to α-synuclein, eight novel compounds were synthesized from a caffeine scaffold attached to (R,S)-1-aminoindan, (R,S)-nicotine, and metformin, and their binding to α-synuclein determined through nanopore analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry. The ability of the dimers to interact with α-synuclein in a cell system was assayed in a yeast model of PD which expresses an AS-GFP (α-synuclein-Green Fluorescent Protein) construct under the control of a galactose promoter. In 5 mM galactose this yeast strain will not grow and large cytoplasmic foci are observed by fluorescent microscopy. Two of the dimers, C8-6-I and C8-6-N, at a concentration of 0.1 μM allowed the yeast to grow normally in 5 mM galactose and the AS-GFP became localized to the periphery of the cell. Both dimers were superior when compared to the monomeric compounds. The presence of the dimers also caused the disappearance of preformed cytoplasmic foci. Nanopore analysis of C8-6-I and C8-6-N were consistent with simultaneous binding to both the N- and C-terminus of α-synuclein but the binding constants were only 105 M-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Kakish
- Department of Biochemistry, ‡Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College
of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0
| | - Kevin J. H. Allen
- Department of Biochemistry, ‡Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College
of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0
| | - Troy A. Harkness
- Department of Biochemistry, ‡Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College
of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0
| | - Ed S. Krol
- Department of Biochemistry, ‡Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College
of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0
| | - Jeremy S. Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, ‡Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College
of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and §Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Canada S7N 0W0
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Collinge J. Mammalian prions and their wider relevance in neurodegenerative diseases. Nature 2016; 539:217-226. [PMID: 27830781 DOI: 10.1038/nature20415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prions are notorious protein-only infectious agents that cause invariably fatal brain diseases following silent incubation periods that can span a lifetime. These diseases can arise spontaneously, through infection or be inherited. Remarkably, prions are composed of self-propagating assemblies of a misfolded cellular protein that encode information, generate neurotoxicity and evolve and adapt in vivo. Although parallels have been drawn with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions involving the deposition of assemblies of misfolded proteins in the brain, insights are now being provided into the usefulness and limitations of prion analogies and their aetiological and therapeutic relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Collinge
- Medical Research Council Prion Unit, University College London Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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Bullman S, Meyerson M, Kostic AD. Emerging Concepts and Technologies for the Discovery of Microorganisms Involved in Human Disease. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2016; 12:217-244. [PMID: 27959634 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-012615-044305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Established infectious agents continue to be a major cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, the causative agent remains unknown for a wide range of diseases; many of these are suspected to be attributable to yet undiscovered microorganisms. The advent of unbiased high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics has enabled rapid identification and molecular characterization of known and novel infectious agents in human disease. An exciting era of microbe discovery, now under way, holds great promise for the improvement of global health via the development of antimicrobial therapies, vaccination strategies, targeted public health measures, and probiotic-based preventions and therapies. Here, we review the history of pathogen discovery, discuss improvements and clinical applications for the detection of microbially associated diseases, and explore the challenges and strategies for establishing causation in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Bullman
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; , .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; , .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Aleksandar D Kostic
- Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02215; .,Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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Inactivation of Prions and Amyloid Seeds with Hypochlorous Acid. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005914. [PMID: 27685252 PMCID: PMC5042475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is produced naturally by neutrophils and other cells to kill conventional microbes in vivo. Synthetic preparations containing HOCl can also be effective as microbial disinfectants. Here we have tested whether HOCl can also inactivate prions and other self-propagating protein amyloid seeds. Prions are deadly pathogens that are notoriously difficult to inactivate, and standard microbial disinfection protocols are often inadequate. Recommended treatments for prion decontamination include strongly basic (pH ≥~12) sodium hypochlorite bleach, ≥1 N sodium hydroxide, and/or prolonged autoclaving. These treatments are damaging and/or unsuitable for many clinical, agricultural and environmental applications. We have tested the anti-prion activity of a weakly acidic aqueous formulation of HOCl (BrioHOCl) that poses no apparent hazard to either users or many surfaces. For example, BrioHOCl can be applied directly to skin and mucous membranes and has been aerosolized to treat entire rooms without apparent deleterious effects. Here, we demonstrate that immersion in BrioHOCl can inactivate not only a range of target microbes, including spores of Bacillus subtilis, but also prions in tissue suspensions and on stainless steel. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays showed that BrioHOCl treatments eliminated all detectable prion seeding activity of human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, cervine chronic wasting disease, sheep scrapie and hamster scrapie; these findings indicated reductions of ≥103- to 106-fold. Transgenic mouse bioassays showed that all detectable hamster-adapted scrapie infectivity in brain homogenates or on steel wires was eliminated, representing reductions of ≥~105.75-fold and >104-fold, respectively. Inactivation of RT-QuIC seeding activity correlated with free chlorine concentration and higher order aggregation or destruction of proteins generally, including prion protein. BrioHOCl treatments had similar effects on amyloids composed of human α-synuclein and a fragment of human tau. These results indicate that HOCl can block the self-propagating activity of prions and other amyloids. Many serious diseases have been linked to pathogenic states of various proteins. These naturally occurring proteins can be corrupted to form aggregates such as prions and amyloids that propagate in and between tissues by acting as seeds that convert the normal form of the protein into more of the pathological form. For example, corrupted prion protein can cause fatal transmissible neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, chronic wasting disease in cervids and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Other amyloid-forming protein aggregates are pathogenic in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases. The fact that prions and amyloids are composed predominantly of tough, tightly packed proteins makes them unusually resistant to conventional microbial disinfection procedures. Infectious prions can persist indefinitely in, or on, a variety of materials such as tissues, fluids, tools, instruments, and environmental surfaces, making it important to identify decontaminants that are effective without being dangerous or damaging. Here we show that hypochlorous acid, a disinfectant that is produced naturally by certain cells within the body, has strong anti-prion and anti-amyloid activity. We find that a non-irritating and broadly applicable hypochlorous acid preparation can disinfect prions in tissue homogenates and on stainless steel wires serving as surrogates for surgical instruments.
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Pistollato F, Sumalla Cano S, Elio I, Masias Vergara M, Giampieri F, Battino M. Role of gut microbiota and nutrients in amyloid formation and pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. Nutr Rev 2016; 74:624-34. [DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuw023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 282] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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Eraña H, Venegas V, Moreno J, Castilla J. Prion-like disorders and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies: An overview of the mechanistic features that are shared by the various disease-related misfolded proteins. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 483:1125-1136. [PMID: 27590581 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.08.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases or Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders affecting several mammalian species. Its causative agent, disease-associated prion protein (PrPd), is a self-propagating β-sheet rich aberrant conformation of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) with neurotoxic and aggregation-prone properties, capable of inducing misfolding of PrPC molecules. PrPd is the major constituent of prions and, most importantly, is the first known example of a protein with infectious attributes. It has been suggested that similar molecular mechanisms could be shared by other proteins implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or systemic amyloidoses. Accordingly, several terms have been proposed to collectively group all these disorders. Through the stringent evaluation of those aspects that characterise TSE-causing prions, in particular propagation and spread, strain variability or transmissibility, we will discuss whether terms such as "prion", "prion-like", "prionoid" or "propagon" can be used when referring to the aetiological agents of the above other disorders. Moreover, it will also be discussed whether the term "infectious", which defines a prion essential trait, is currently misused when referring to the other misfolded proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasier Eraña
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Vanesa Venegas
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Jorge Moreno
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain
| | - Joaquín Castilla
- CIC bioGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160, Derio, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48011, Bizkaia, Spain.
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A Decentralized Approach to the Formulation of Hypotheses: A Hierarchical Structural Model for a Prion Self-Assembled System. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30633. [PMID: 27464832 PMCID: PMC4964355 DOI: 10.1038/srep30633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovation in hypotheses is a key transformative driver for scientific development.
The conventional centralized hypothesis formulation approach, where a dominant
hypothesis is typically derived from a primary phenomenon, can, inevitably, impose
restriction on the range of conceivable experiments and legitimate hypotheses, and
ultimately impede understanding of the system of interest. We report herein the
proposal of a decentralized approach for the formulation of hypotheses, through
initial preconception-free phenomenon accumulation and subsequent reticular logical
reasoning processes. The two-step approach can provide an unbiased, panoramic view
of the system and as such should enable the generation of a set of more coherent and
therefore plausible hypotheses. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of the utility
of this open-ended approach, a hierarchical model has been developed for a prion
self-assembled system, allowing insight into hitherto elusive static and dynamic
features associated with this intriguing structure.
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Generating Bona Fide Mammalian Prions with Internal Deletions. J Virol 2016; 90:6963-6975. [PMID: 27226369 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00555-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Mammalian prions are PrP proteins with altered structures causing transmissible fatal neurodegenerative diseases. They are self-perpetuating through formation of beta-sheet-rich assemblies that seed conformational change of cellular PrP. Pathological PrP usually forms an insoluble protease-resistant core exhibiting beta-sheet structures but no more alpha-helical content, loosing the three alpha-helices contained in the correctly folded PrP. The lack of a high-resolution prion structure makes it difficult to understand the dynamics of conversion and to identify elements of the protein involved in this process. To determine whether completeness of residues within the protease-resistant domain is required for prions, we performed serial deletions in the helix H2 C terminus of ovine PrP, since this region has previously shown some tolerance to sequence changes without preventing prion replication. Deletions of either four or five residues essentially preserved the overall PrP structure and mutant PrP expressed in RK13 cells were efficiently converted into bona fide prions upon challenge by three different prion strains. Remarkably, deletions in PrP facilitated the replication of two strains that otherwise do not replicate in this cellular context. Prions with internal deletion were self-propagating and de novo infectious for naive homologous and wild-type PrP-expressing cells. Moreover, they caused transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in mice, with similar biochemical signatures and neuropathologies other than the original strains. Prion convertibility and transfer of strain-specific information are thus preserved despite shortening of an alpha-helix in PrP and removal of residues within prions. These findings provide new insights into sequence/structure/infectivity relationship for prions. IMPORTANCE Prions are misfolded PrP proteins that convert the normal protein into a replicate of their own abnormal form. They are responsible for invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorders. Other aggregation-prone proteins appear to have a prion-like mode of expansion in brains, such as in Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases. To date, the resolution of prion structure remains elusive. Thus, to genetically define the landscape of regions critical for prion conversion, we tested the effect of short deletions. We found that, surprisingly, removal of a portion of PrP, the C terminus of alpha-helix H2, did not hamper prion formation but generated infectious agents with an internal deletion that showed characteristics essentially similar to those of original infecting strains. Thus, we demonstrate that completeness of the residues inside prions is not necessary for maintaining infectivity and the main strain-specific information, while reporting one of the few if not the only bona fide prions with an internal deletion.
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Orrú CD, Hughson AG, Groveman BR, Campbell KJ, Anson KJ, Manca M, Kraus A, Caughey B. Factors That Improve RT-QuIC Detection of Prion Seeding Activity. Viruses 2016; 8:E140. [PMID: 27223300 PMCID: PMC4885095 DOI: 10.3390/v8050140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid and sensitive detection of prions is important in managing prion diseases. The real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay for prion seeding activity has been applied to many prion diseases and provides for specific antemortem diagnostic testing. We evaluated RT-QuIC's long-term consistency and varied multiple reaction parameters. Repeated assays of a single scrapie sample using multiple plate readers and recombinant prion protein (rPrP(Sen)) substrates gave comparable results. N-terminal truncated hamster rPrP(Sen) (residues 90-231) hastened both prion-seeded and prion-independent reactions but maintained a clear kinetic distinction between the two. Raising temperatures or shaking speeds accelerated RT-QuIC reactions without compromising specificity. When applied to nasal brushings from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients, higher temperatures accelerated RT-QuIC kinetics, and the use of hamster rPrP(Sen) (90-231) strengthened RT-QuIC responses. Elongation of shaking periods reduced scrapie-seeded reaction times, but continuous shaking promoted false-positive reactions. Furthermore, pH 7.4 provided for more rapid RT-QuIC reactions than more acidic pHs. Additionally, we show that small variations in the amount of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) significantly impacted the assay. Finally, RT-QuIC performed in multiplate thermoshakers followed by fluorescence readings in separate plate readers enhanced assay throughput economically. Collectively, these results demonstrate improved speed, efficacy and practicality of RT-QuIC assays and highlight variables to be optimized for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina D Orrú
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Andrew G Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Bradley R Groveman
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Katrina J Campbell
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Kelsie J Anson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Matteo Manca
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Allison Kraus
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, 59840 MT, USA.
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48
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Abstract
Early and accurate diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a necessary to distinguish this untreatable disease from treatable rapidly progressive dementias, and to prevent iatrogenic transmission. Currently, definitive diagnosis of CJD requires detection of the abnormally folded, CJD-specific form of protease-resistant prion protein (PrP(CJD)) in brain tissue obtained postmortem or via biopsy; therefore, diagnosis of sporadic CJD in clinical practice is often challenging. Supporting investigations, including MRI, EEG and conventional analyses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, are helpful in the diagnostic work-up, but do not allow definitive diagnosis. Recently, novel ultrasensitive seeding assays, based on the amplified detection of PrP(CJD), have improved the diagnostic process; for example, real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) is a sensitive method to detect prion-seeding activity in brain homogenate from humans with any subtype of sporadic CJD. RT-QuIC can also be used for in vivo diagnosis of CJD: its diagnostic sensitivity in detecting PrP(CJD) in CSF samples is 96%, and its specificity is 100%. Recently, we provided evidence that RT-QuIC of olfactory mucosa brushings is a 97% sensitive and 100% specific for sporadic CJD. These assays provide a basis for definitive antemortem diagnosis of prion diseases and, in doing so, improve prospects for reducing the risk of prion transmission. Moreover, they can be used to evaluate outcome measures in therapeutic trials for these as yet untreatable infections.
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49
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Terry C, Wenborn A, Gros N, Sells J, Joiner S, Hosszu LLP, Tattum MH, Panico S, Clare DK, Collinge J, Saibil HR, Wadsworth JDF. Ex vivo mammalian prions are formed of paired double helical prion protein fibrils. Open Biol 2016; 6:rsob.160035. [PMID: 27249641 PMCID: PMC4892434 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.160035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian prions are hypothesized to be fibrillar or amyloid forms of prion protein (PrP), but structures observed to date have not been definitively correlated with infectivity and the three-dimensional structure of infectious prions has remained obscure. Recently, we developed novel methods to obtain exceptionally pure preparations of prions from mouse brain and showed that pathogenic PrP in these high-titre preparations is assembled into rod-like assemblies. Here, we have used precise cell culture-based prion infectivity assays to define the physical relationship between the PrP rods and prion infectivity and have used electron tomography to define their architecture. We show that infectious PrP rods isolated from multiple prion strains have a common hierarchical assembly comprising twisted pairs of short fibres with repeating substructure. The architecture of the PrP rods provides a new structural basis for understanding prion infectivity and can explain the inability to systematically generate high-titre synthetic prions from recombinant PrP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Terry
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Adam Wenborn
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Nathalie Gros
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jessica Sells
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Susan Joiner
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Laszlo L P Hosszu
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - M Howard Tattum
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Silvia Panico
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Daniel K Clare
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Helen R Saibil
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Jonathan D F Wadsworth
- MRC Prion Unit and Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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50
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Carroll JA, Striebel JF, Rangel A, Woods T, Phillips K, Peterson KE, Race B, Chesebro B. Prion Strain Differences in Accumulation of PrPSc on Neurons and Glia Are Associated with Similar Expression Profiles of Neuroinflammatory Genes: Comparison of Three Prion Strains. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005551. [PMID: 27046083 PMCID: PMC4821575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolding and aggregation of host proteins are important features of the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and prion diseases. In all these diseases, the misfolded protein increases in amount by a mechanism involving seeded polymerization. In prion diseases, host prion protein is misfolded to form a pathogenic protease-resistant form, PrPSc, which accumulates in neurons, astroglia and microglia in the CNS. Here using dual-staining immunohistochemistry, we compared the cell specificity of PrPSc accumulation at early preclinical times post-infection using three mouse scrapie strains that differ in brain regional pathology. PrPSc from each strain had a different pattern of cell specificity. Strain 22L was mainly associated with astroglia, whereas strain ME7 was mainly associated with neurons and neuropil. In thalamus and cortex, strain RML was similar to 22L, but in substantia nigra, RML was similar to ME7. Expression of 90 genes involved in neuroinflammation was studied quantitatively using mRNA from thalamus at preclinical times. Surprisingly, despite the cellular differences in PrPSc accumulation, the pattern of upregulated genes was similar for all three strains, and the small differences observed correlated with variations in the early disease tempo. Gene upregulation correlated with activation of both astroglia and microglia detected in early disease prior to vacuolar pathology or clinical signs. Interestingly, the profile of upregulated genes in scrapie differed markedly from that seen in two acute viral CNS diseases (LaCrosse virus and BE polytropic Friend retrovirus) that had reactive gliosis at levels similar to our prion-infected mice. Accumulation of aggregates of misfolded protein in brain is a common feature of the damage seen in several neurodegenerative diseases including prion disease, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In the present work three strains of prion disease differed in accumulation of the disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) on neurons and astroglial cells. These patterns were first detectable in the thalamus at 40–60 days after inoculation. This coincided with initial detection of gliosis and PrPSc deposition, but was far in advance of clinical signs or spongiform pathology. In spite of the different patterns of cellular PrPSc deposition, these three strains had similar patterns of expression of a large number of genes known to be active during neuroinflammatory responses and gliosis. However, the gene upregulation in scrapie differed markedly from that seen in two neurovirulent viral diseases, which also had abundant glial responses similar to those observed with prion infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Carroll
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - James F. Striebel
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Rangel
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Tyson Woods
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Katie Phillips
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Karin E. Peterson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Bruce Chesebro
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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