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Goodwill VS, Dryden I, Choi J, De Lillo C, Soldau K, Llibre-Guerra J, Sanchez H, Sigurdson CJ, Lin JH. Minimal change prion retinopathy: Morphometric comparison of retinal and brain prion deposits in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Exp Eye Res 2022; 222:109172. [PMID: 35803332 PMCID: PMC9946801 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is the most commonly diagnosed human prion disease caused by the abnormal misfolding of the 'cellular' prion protein (PrPC) into the transmissible 'scrapie-type' prion form (PrPSc). Neuropathologic evaluation of brains with sCJD reveals abnormal PrPSc deposits primarily in grey matter structures, often associated with micro-vacuolar spongiform changes in neuropil, neuronal loss, and gliosis. Abnormal PrPSc deposits have also been reported in the retina of patients with sCJD, but few studies have characterized the morphology of these retinal PrPSc deposits or evaluated for any retinal neurodegenerative changes. We performed histopathologic and morphometric analyses of retinal and brain prion deposits in 14 patients with sCJD. Interestingly, we discovered that the morphology of retinal PrPSc deposits generally differs from that of brain PrPSc deposits in terms of size and shape. We found that retinal PrPSc deposits consistently localize to the outer plexiform layer of the retina. Additionally, we observed that the retinal PrPSc deposits are not associated with the spongiform change, neuronal loss, and gliosis often seen in the brain. The stereotypic morphology and location of PrPSc deposits in sCJD retinas may help guide the use of ocular imaging devices in the detection of these deposits for a clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa S Goodwill
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Ian Dryden
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Stanford University, CA, 94305, USA; VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Jihee Choi
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Stanford University, CA, 94305, USA; VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Chiara De Lillo
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Stanford University, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Katrin Soldau
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jorge Llibre-Guerra
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA; Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Henry Sanchez
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | | | - Jonathan H Lin
- Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Stanford University, CA, 94305, USA; VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
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2
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Beckman D, Linden R. A roadmap for investigating the role of the prion protein in depression associated with neurodegenerative disease. Prion 2017; 10:131-42. [PMID: 27057694 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2016.1152437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The physiological properties of the native, endogenous prion protein (PrP(C)) is a matter of concern, due to its pleiotropic functions and links to neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. In line with our hypothesis that the basic function of PrP(C) is to serve as a cell surface scaffold for the assembly of signaling modules, multiple interactions have been identified of PrP(C) with signaling molecules, including neurotransmitter receptors. We recently reported evidence that PrP(C) may modulate monoaminergic neurotransmission, as well as depressive-like behavior in mice. Here, we discuss how those results, together with a number of other studies, including our previous demonstration that both inflammatory and behavioral stress modulate PrP(C) content in neutrophils, suggest a distributed role of PrP(C) in clinical depression and inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. An overarching understanding of the multiple interventions of PrP(C) upon physiological events may both shed light on the pathogenesis of, as well as help the identification of novel therapeutic targets for clinical depression, Prion and Alzheimer's Diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Linden
- a Instituto de Biofísica da UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
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3
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Cingaram PKR, Nyeste A, Dondapati DT, Fodor E, Welker E. Prion Protein Does Not Confer Resistance to Hippocampus-Derived Zpl Cells against the Toxic Effects of Cu2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ and Co2+ Not Supporting a General Protective Role for PrP in Transition Metal Induced Toxicity. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139219. [PMID: 26426582 PMCID: PMC4591282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of transition metals with the prion protein (PrP) are well-documented and characterized, however, there is no consensus on their role in either the physiology of PrP or PrP-related neurodegenerative disorders. PrP has been reported to protect cells from the toxic stimuli of metals. By employing a cell viability assay, we examined the effects of various concentrations of Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ on Zpl (Prnp-/-) and ZW (Prnp+/+) hippocampus-derived mouse neuronal cells. Prnp-/- Zpl cells were more sensitive to all four metals than PrP-expressing Zw cells. However, when we introduced PrP or only the empty vector into Zpl cells, we could not discern any protective effect associated with the presence of PrP. This observation was further corroborated when assessing the toxic effect of metals by propidium-iodide staining and fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis. Thus, our results on this mouse cell culture model do not seem to support a strong protective role for PrP against transition metal toxicity and also emphasize the necessity of extreme care when comparing cells derived from PrP knock-out and wild type mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antal Nyeste
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Divya Teja Dondapati
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Elfrieda Fodor
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ervin Welker
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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4
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da Luz MHM, Peres IT, Santos TG, Martins VR, Icimoto MY, Lee KS. Dopamine induces the accumulation of insoluble prion protein and affects autophagic flux. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:12. [PMID: 25698927 PMCID: PMC4313710 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of protein aggregates is a histopathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, but in most cases the aggregation occurs without defined mutations or clinical histories, suggesting that certain endogenous metabolites can promote aggregation of specific proteins. One example that supports this hypothesis is dopamine and its metabolites. Dopamine metabolism generates several oxidative metabolites that induce aggregation of α-synuclein, and represents the main etiology of Parkinson's diseases. Because dopamine and its metabolites are unstable and can be highly reactive, we investigated whether these molecules can also affect other proteins that are prone to aggregate, such as cellular prion protein (PrPC). In this study, we showed that dopamine treatment of neuronal cells reduced the number of viable cells and increased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as demonstrated in previous studies. Overall PrPC expression level was not altered by dopamine treatment, but its unglycosylated form was consistently reduced at 100 μM of dopamine. At the same concentration, the level of phosphorylated mTOR and 4EBP1 was also reduced. Moreover, dopamine treatment decreased the solubility of PrPC, and increased its accumulation in autophagosomal compartments with concomitant induction of LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1 levels. In vitro oxidation of dopamine promoted formation of high-order oligomers of recombinant prion protein. These results suggest that dopamine metabolites alter the conformation of PrPC, which in turn is sorted to degradation pathway, causing autophagosome overload and attenuation of protein synthesis. Accumulation of PrPC aggregates is an important feature of prion diseases. Thus, this study brings new insight into the dopamine metabolism as a source of endogenous metabolites capable of altering PrPC solubility and its subcellular localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcio H M da Luz
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil ; Biomedicina, Universidade Metodista de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Italo T Peres
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tiago G Santos
- International Research Center, A C Camargo Cancer Center Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vilma R Martins
- International Research Center, A C Camargo Cancer Center Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Y Icimoto
- Department of Biophysics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kil S Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
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5
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Rial D, Pamplona FA, Moreira ELG, Moreira KM, Hipolide D, Rodrigues DI, Dombrowski PA, Da Cunha C, Agostinho P, Takahashi RN, Walz R, Cunha RA, Prediger RD. Cellular prion protein is present in dopaminergic neurons and modulates the dopaminergic system. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:2479-86. [PMID: 24766164 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Revised: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrP(C) ) is widely expressed in the brain. Although the precise role of PrP(C) remains uncertain, it has been proposed to be a pivotal modulator of neuroplasticity events by regulating the glutamatergic and serotonergic systems. Here we report the existence of neurochemical and functional interactions between PrP(C) and the dopaminergic system. PrP(C) was found to co-localize with dopaminergic neurons and in dopaminergic synapses in the striatum. Furthermore, the genetic deletion of PrP(C) down-regulated dopamine D1 receptors and DARPP-32 density in the striatum and decreased dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex of mice. This indicates that PrP(C) affects the homeostasis of the dopaminergic system by interfering differently in different brain areas with dopamine synthesis, content, receptor density and signaling pathways. This interaction between PrP(C) and the dopaminergic system prompts the hypotheses that the dopaminergic system may be implicated in some pathological features of prion-related diseases and, conversely, that PrP(C) may play a role in dopamine-associated brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Rial
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, Brazil; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
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6
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The Functional Role of Prion Protein (PrPC) on Autophagy. Pathogens 2013; 2:436-45. [PMID: 25437200 PMCID: PMC4235692 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens2030436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) plays an important role in the cellular defense against oxidative stress. However, the exact protective mechanism of PrPC is unclear. Autophagy is essential for survival, differentiation, development, and homeostasis in several organisms. Although the role that autophagy plays in neurodegenerative disease has yet to be established, it is clear that autophagy-induced cell death is observed in neurodegenerative disorders that exhibit protein aggregations. Moreover, autophagy can promote cell survival and cell death under various conditions. In this review, we describe the involvement of autophagy in prion disease and the effects of PrPC.
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7
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Oh JM, Choi EK, Carp RI, Kim YS. Oxidative stress impairs autophagic flux in prion protein-deficient hippocampal cells. Autophagy 2012; 8:1448-61. [PMID: 22889724 DOI: 10.4161/auto.21164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported that autophagy is upregulated in Prnp-deficient (Prnp ( 0/0) ) hippocampal neuronal cells in comparison to cellular prion protein (PrP (C) )-expressing (Prnp (+/+) ) control cells under conditions of serum deprivation. In this study, we determined whether a protective mechanism of PrP (C) is associated with autophagy using Prnp ( 0/0) hippocampal neuronal cells under hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2)-induced oxidative stress. We found that Prnp ( 0/0) cells were more susceptible to oxidative stress than Prnp (+/+) cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, we observed enhanced autophagy by immunoblotting, which detected the conversion of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 β (LC3B)-I to LC3B-II, and we observed increased punctate LC3B immunostaining in H 2O 2-treated Prnp ( 0/0) cells compared with H 2O 2-treated control cells. Interestingly, this enhanced autophagy was due to impaired autophagic flux in the H 2O 2-treated Prnp ( 0/0) cells, while the H 2O 2-treated Prnp (+/+) cells showed enhanced autophagic flux. Furthermore, caspase-dependent and independent apoptosis was observed when both cell lines were exposed to H 2O 2. Moreover, the inhibition of autophagosome formation by Atg7 siRNA revealed that increased autophagic flux in Prnp (+/+) cells contributes to the prosurvival effect of autophagy against H 2O 2 cytotoxicity. Taken together, our results provide the first experimental evidence that the deficiency of PrP (C) may impair autophagic flux via H 2O 2-induced oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Min Oh
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, Anyang, Korea
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8
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Jing YY, Li XL, Shi Q, Wang ZY, Guo Y, Pan MM, Tian C, Zhu SY, Chen C, Gong HS, Han J, Gao C, Dong XP. A Novel PrP Partner HS-1 Associated Protein X-1 (HAX-1) Protected the Cultured Cells Against the Challenge of H2O2. J Mol Neurosci 2011; 45:216-28. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-011-9498-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/20/2011] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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9
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Choi JK, Jeon YC, Lee DW, Oh JM, Lee HP, Jeong BH, Carp RI, Koh YH, Kim YS. A Drosophila model of GSS syndrome suggests defects in active zones are responsible for pathogenesis of GSS syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2010; 19:4474-89. [PMID: 20829230 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddq379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We have established a Drosophila model of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome by expressing mouse prion protein (PrP) having leucine substitution at residue 101 (MoPrP(P101L)). Flies expressing MoPrP(P101L), but not wild-type MoPrP (MoPrP(3F4)), showed severe defects in climbing ability and early death. Expressed MoPrP(P101L) in Drosophila was differentially glycosylated, localized at the synaptic terminals and mainly present as deposits in adult brains. We found that behavioral defects and early death of MoPrP(P101L) flies were not due to Caspase 3-dependent programmed cell death signaling. In addition, we found that Type 1 glutamatergic synaptic boutons in larval neuromuscular junctions of MoPrP(P101L) flies showed significantly increased numbers of satellite synaptic boutons. Furthermore, the amount of Bruchpilot and Discs large in MoPrP(P101L) flies was significantly reduced. Brains from scrapie-infected mice showed significantly decreased ELKS, an active zone matrix marker compared with those of age-matched control mice. Thus, altered active zone structures at the molecular level may be involved in the pathogenesis of GSS syndrome in Drosophila and scrapie-infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Kyu Choi
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym University, 1605-4 Gwanyangdong Dongangu, Anyang, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea
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10
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The involvement of cellular prion protein in the autophagy pathway in neuronal cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2008; 39:238-47. [PMID: 18674620 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2008] [Revised: 06/24/2008] [Accepted: 07/01/2008] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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11
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Adjou KT, Dilda P, Aumond P, Gueddari S, Deslys JP, Dormont D, Seman M. Increase of monoamine oxidase-B activity in the brain of scrapie-infected hamsters. Neurochem Int 2008; 52:1416-21. [PMID: 18442871 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2008.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2008] [Accepted: 03/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, the purpose is to determine activities of monoamine oxidases (MAO) in the brain of 263K scrapie-infected hamsters during the development of this experimental prion disease. Indeed, MAO activity modifications which have already been related in aging and neurodegenerations is suspected to be involved in the neuron loss process by elevated hydrogen peroxide formation. Monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) and B (MAO-B) activities were followed in the brain at different stages of the disease. MAO-A activity did not change significantly during the evolution of the disease. However, concerning the MAO-B activity, a significant increase was observed from 50 days post-infection and through the course of the disease and reached 42.9+/-5.3% at its ultimate stage. Regarding these results, MAO-B could be a potential therapeutic target then we have performed a pre-clinical treatment with irreversible (Selegiline or L-deprenyl) or and reversible (MS-9510) MAO-B inhibitors used alone or in association with an anti-scrapie drug such as MS-8209, an amphotericin B derivative. Our results show that none of the MAO-B inhibitors used was able to delay the onset of the disease. Neither these MAO-B inhibitors nor R-NMDA inhibitors (MK-801) can enhance the effects of MS-8209. The present findings clearly indicate a significant increase of cerebral MAO-B activity in scrapie-infected hamsters. Furthermore, inhibitors of MAO-B do not have any curative or palliative effect on this experimental model indicating that the raise of this activity is probably more a consequence rather than a causal event of the neurodegenerative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Tarik Adjou
- Laboratoire de Pathologie du Bétail et des Animaux de Basse-cour, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
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12
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Madhavaiah C, Verma S. Copper-metalated peptide palindrome derived from prion octarepeat: synthesis, aggregation, and oxidative transformations. Bioorg Med Chem 2005; 13:3241-8. [PMID: 15809159 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2005.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2005] [Revised: 02/16/2005] [Accepted: 02/16/2005] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We report construction of a bis-pentapeptide conjugate 4 containing truncated pentapeptide sequence from prion octarepeats. Its copper-laden derivative 5 demonstrated a propensity for aggregate formation, which was studied by atomic force microscopy. Oxidative biochemical transformations catalyzed by 5 were evaluated by nucleic acid cleavage and by neurotransmitter oxidation, in the presence of external co-oxidants. Preliminary mechanistic analysis provides a hint for the involvement of reactive oxygen species in such transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Madhavaiah
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
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13
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Ledoux JM. Effects on the serotoninergic system in sub-acute transmissible spongiform encephalopathies: current data, hypotheses, suggestions for experimentation. Med Hypotheses 2005; 64:910-8. [PMID: 15780484 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2004.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2004] [Accepted: 11/10/2004] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sub-acute transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are affections in which little is known of their etiology. The predominant theory stipulates that an abnormal protease-resistant prion protein (PrPres) would be infectious by directly inducing its defective conformation to the normal native protein (PrPC). The function of PrPC remains unknown. The preferred localization of PrPC at the level of the synapses supposes a function in neuronal transmission. Several neurotransmitter systems (acetylcholine, GABA, dopamine, etc.) are damaged in TSEs, mainly the serotonin (5-HT) system. At a hypothetical level, PrPC would play a trophic and functional role by regulating the capture of amino acid precursors of neurotransmitters and the functions of neuroreceptors, in particular regarding tryptophan and 5-HT receptors. By comparison with the modes of action of Ras proteins and of the envelope glycoprotein of jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus, the adaptation of an oncogenic model is suggested for the mode of action of PrPres. The sequence of events could be the following: capture of PrPres and forming of an abnormal receptor, chronic disturbance of transduction pathways, more particularly of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/glycogen synthetase kinase 3 (GSK 3)/Wnt-beta catenin pathway, deregulation of the PrP gene and infrequent and transitory forming of abnormal RNA messengers and, finally, the forming of abnormal proteins and the deterioration of the serotoninergic system. The involvement of endogenous nucleic acids is supposed. The infectious agent of TSEs could be an ancestral form of retrovirus, such as a retrotransposon using the prion protein as an envelope glycoprotein. Pharmacological tests, by comparison with a rare disease of unknown etiology in cattle, bovine spastic paresis, are suggested with the amino acid precursors of neuromediators (tryptophan, tyrosine, glutamic acid, etc.) and with lithium, neuroprotector and regulator of the serotonergic system.
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14
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Kim BH, Lee HG, Choi JK, Kim JI, Choi EK, Carp RI, Kim YS. The cellular prion protein (PrPC) prevents apoptotic neuronal cell death and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by serum deprivation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 124:40-50. [PMID: 15093684 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbrainres.2004.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2004] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are transmissible neurodegenerative disorders that are invariably fatal in humans and animals. Although the nature of the infectious agent and pathogenic mechanisms of prion diseases are not clear, it has been reported that prion diseases may be associated with aberrant metabolism of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)). In various reports, it has been postulated that PrP(C) may be involved in one or more of the following: neurotransmitter metabolism, cell adhesion, signal transduction, copper metabolism, antioxidant activity or programmed cell death. Despite suggestive results supporting each of these mechanisms, the physiological function(s) of PrP(C) is not known. To investigate whether PrP(C) can prevent apoptotic cell death in prion diseases, we established the cell lines stably expressing PrP(C) from PrP knockout (PrP(-/-)) neuronal cells and examined the role of PrP(C) under apoptosis and/or serum-deprived condition. We found that PrP(-/-) cells were vulnerable to apoptotic cell death and that this vulnerability was rescued by the expression of PrP(C). The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins including p53, Bax, caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and cytochrome c were significantly increased in PrP(-/-) cells. In addition, Ca(2+) levels of mitochondria were increased, whereas mitochondrial membrane potentials were decreased in PrP(-/-) cells. These results strongly suggest that PrP(C) may play a central role as an effective anti-apoptotic protein through caspase-dependent apoptotic pathways in mitochondria, supporting the concept that disruption of PrP(C) and consequent reduction of anti-apoptotic capacity of PrP(C) may be one of the pathogenic mechanisms of prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boe-Hyun Kim
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym Academy of Sciences, Hallym University, Ilsong Building, Kwanyang-dong 1605-4, Dongan-gu, Anyang 431-060, South Korea
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15
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Abstract
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) of cattle, scrapie of sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) of humans. Prion diseases have become an important issue in public health and in the scientific world not only due to the possible relationship between BSE and new variant CJD (nvCJD) but also due to the unique biological features of the infectious agent. Although the nature of the infectious agent and the pathogenic mechanisms of prion diseases are not fully understood, considerable evidence suggests that an abnormal form (PrP(Sc)) of a host prion protein (PrP(C)) may compose substantial parts of the infectious agent and that various factors such as oxidative stress and calcium cytotoxicity are associated with the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Here, we briefly review and discuss the pathogenic mechanisms of prion diseases. These advances in understandings of fundamental biology of prion diseases may open the possibilities for the prevention and treatment of these unusual diseases and also suggest applications in more common neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwon Hur
- Ilsong Institute of Life Science, Hallym Academy of Sciences, Hallym University, Ilsong Building, Kwanyang-dong 1605-4, Dongan-gu, Anyang 431-060, South Korea
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16
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Arrabal S, Touchard M, Mouthon F, Klonjkowski B, Deslys JP, Dormont D, Eloit M. Nervous and nonnervous cell transduction by recombinant adenoviruses that inducibly express the human PrP. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2001; 285:623-32. [PMID: 11453638 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.5208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The study of the prion protein (PrP) physiological functions or its specific role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) requires new tools, particularly those able to induce PrP overexpression in a large range of cells, in vivo as well as in vitro. Here we describe the construction of two recombinant adenoviruses encoding the human PrP either with a valine at position 129 (AdTRVal) or a methionine (AdTRMet). Both genes were put under the control of the tetracycline-responsive promoter, allowing tight regulation of PrP expression. AdTRVal and AdTRMet induced high expression of the human PrP in CHO-KI cells and in organotypic brain slices in culture. The proteins expressed from these viruses exhibited a glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI) anchor, proper glycosylation and sensitivity to proteinase K digestion. AdTRVal and AdTRMet will allow future studies on the human PrP and on the role of the codon 129 polyphormism in human TSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Arrabal
- CEA, Service de Neurovirologie, BP 6 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France
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