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Neurotoxic Antibodies against the Prion Protein Do Not Trigger Prion Replication.

ABSTRACT: Prions are the infectious agents causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), progressive, inexorably lethal neurological diseases. Antibodies targeting the globular domain (GD) of the cellular prion protein PrPC trigger a neurotoxic syndrome morphologically and molecularly similar to prion disease. This phenomenon raises the question whether such antibodies induce infectious prions de novo. Here we exposed cerebellar organotypic cultured slices (COCS) to the neurotoxic antibody, POM1. We then inoculated COCS homogenates into tga20 mice, which overexpress PrPC and are commonly utilized as sensitive indicators of prion infectivity. None of the mice inoculated with COCS-derived lysates developed any signs of disease, and all mice survived for at least 200 days post-inoculation. In contrast, all mice inoculated with bona fide prions succumbed to TSE after 55-95 days. Post-mortem analyses did not reveal any signs of prion pathology in mice inoculated with POM1-COCS lysates. Also, lysates from POM1-exposed COCS were unable to convert PrP by quaking. Hence, anti-GD antibodies do not catalyze the generation of prion infectivity. These data indicate that prion replication can be separated from prion toxicity, and suggest that anti-GD antibodies exert toxicity by acting downstream of prion replication.

SUBMITTER: Frontzek K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5042507 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Neurotoxic Antibodies against the Prion Protein Do Not Trigger Prion Replication.

Frontzek Karl K Pfammatter Manuela M Sorce Silvia S Senatore Assunta A Schwarz Petra P Moos Rita R Frauenknecht Katrin K Hornemann Simone S Aguzzi Adriano A

PloS one 20160929 9

Prions are the infectious agents causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), progressive, inexorably lethal neurological diseases. Antibodies targeting the globular domain (GD) of the cellular prion protein PrPC trigger a neurotoxic syndrome morphologically and molecularly similar to prion disease. This phenomenon raises the question whether such antibodies induce infectious prions de novo. Here we exposed cerebellar organotypic cultured slices (COCS) to the neurotoxic antibody, POM ...[more]

PMID: 27684562

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Project description:Prion diseases are incurable neurodegenerative disorders in which the normal cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) converts into a misfolded isoform (PrP(Sc)) with unique biochemical and structural properties that correlate with disease. In humans, prion disorders, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, present typically with a sporadic origin, where unknown mechanisms lead to the spontaneous misfolding and deposition of wild type PrP. To shed light on how wild-type PrP undergoes conformational changes and which are the cellular components involved in this process, we analyzed the dynamics of wild-type PrP from hamster in transgenic flies. In young flies, PrP demonstrates properties of the benign PrP(C); in older flies, PrP misfolds, acquires biochemical and structural properties of PrP(Sc), and induces spongiform degeneration of brain neurons. Aged flies accumulate insoluble PrP that resists high concentrations of denaturing agents and contains PrP(Sc)-specific conformational epitopes. In contrast to PrP(Sc) from mammals, PrP is proteinase-sensitive in flies. Thus, wild-type PrP rapidly converts in vivo into a neurotoxic, protease-sensitive isoform distinct from prototypical PrP(Sc). Next, we investigated the role of molecular chaperones in PrP misfolding in vivo. Remarkably, Hsp70 prevents the accumulation of PrP(Sc)-like conformers and protects against PrP-dependent neurodegeneration. This protective activity involves the direct interaction between Hsp70 and PrP, which may occur in active membrane microdomains such as lipid rafts, where we detected Hsp70. These results highlight the ability of wild-type PrP to spontaneously convert in vivo into a protease-sensitive isoform that is neurotoxic, supporting the idea that protease-resistant PrP(Sc) is not required for pathology. Moreover, we identify a new role for Hsp70 in the accumulation of misfolded PrP. Overall, we provide new insight into the mechanisms of spontaneous accumulation of neurotoxic PrP and uncover the potential therapeutic role of Hsp70 in treating these devastating disorders.

Dataset Information

Neurotoxic Antibodies against the Prion Protein Do Not Trigger Prion Replication.

Publications

Neurotoxic Antibodies against the Prion Protein Do Not Trigger Prion Replication.

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