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Raspadori A, Vignali V, Murello A, Giachin G, Samorì B, Tanaka M, Bustamante C, Zuccheri G, Legname G. Evidence of Orientation-Dependent Early States of Prion Protein Misfolded Structures from Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1358. [PMID: 36138837 PMCID: PMC9495685 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the presence of oligomers and amyloid fibrils. These are the result of protein aggregation processes of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into amyloidal forms denoted as prions or PrPSc. We employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) for single molecule pulling (single molecule force spectroscopy, SMFS) experiments on the recombinant truncated murine prion protein (PrP) domain to characterize its conformations and potential initial oligomerization processes. Our AFM-SMFS results point to a complex scenario of structural heterogeneity of PrP at the monomeric and dimer level, like other amyloid proteins involved in similar pathologies. By applying this technique, we revealed that the PrP C-terminal domain unfolds in a two-state process. We used two dimeric constructs with different PrP reciprocal orientations: one construct with two sequential PrP in the N- to C-terminal orientation (N-C dimer) and a second one in the C- to C-terminal orientation (C-C dimer). The analysis revealed that the different behavior in terms of unfolding force, whereby the dimer placed C-C dimer unfolds at a higher force compared to the N-C orientation. We propose that the C-C dimer orientation may represent a building block of amyloid fibril formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Raspadori
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Valentina Vignali
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Murello
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Giachin
- Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Bruno Samorì
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Motomasa Tanaka
- Laboratory for Protein Conformation Diseases, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako 351-0198, Saitama, Japan
| | - Carlos Bustamante
- QB3 Institute, University of California, 642 Stanley Hall #3220, Berkeley, CA 94720-3220, USA
| | - Giampaolo Zuccheri
- Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- S3 Center of the Institute of Nanoscience of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), 41125 Modena, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research on Health Science and Technologies, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), 34136 Trieste, Italy
- ELETTRA Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, Basovizza, 34139 Trieste, Italy
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Pauly T, Bolakhrif N, Kaiser J, Nagel-Steger L, Gremer L, Gohlke H, Willbold D. Met/Val129 polymorphism of the full-length human prion protein dictates distinct pathways of amyloid formation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102430. [PMID: 36037966 PMCID: PMC9513279 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Methionine/valine polymorphism at position 129 of the human prion protein, huPrP, is tightly associated with the pathogenic phenotype, disease progress, and age of onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or Fatal Familial Insomnia. This raises the question of whether and how the amino acid type at position 129 influences the structural properties of huPrP, affecting its folding, stability, and amyloid formation behavior. Here, our detailed biophysical characterization of the 129M and 129V variants of recombinant full-length huPrP(23–230) by amyloid formation kinetics, CD spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and sedimentation velocity analysis reveals differences in their aggregation propensity and oligomer content, leading to deviating pathways for the conversion into amyloid at acidic pH. We determined that the 129M variant exhibits less secondary structure content before amyloid formation and higher resistance to thermal denaturation compared to the 129V variant, whereas the amyloid conformation of both variants shows similar thermal stability. Additionally, our molecular dynamics simulations and rigidity analyses at the atomistic level identify intramolecular interactions responsible for the enhanced monomer stability of the 129M variant, involving more frequent minimum distances between E196 and R156, forming a salt bridge. Removal of the N-terminal half of the 129M full-length variant diminishes its differences compared to the 129V full-length variant and highlights the relevance of the flexible N terminus in huPrP. Taken together, our findings provide insight into structural properties of huPrP and the effects of the amino acid identity at position 129 on amyloid formation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pauly
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) and JuStruct: Jülich Center of Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Najoua Bolakhrif
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) and JuStruct: Jülich Center of Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jesko Kaiser
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Luitgard Nagel-Steger
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) and JuStruct: Jülich Center of Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lothar Gremer
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) and JuStruct: Jülich Center of Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Holger Gohlke
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-4: Bioinformatics), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany; John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) and JuStruct: Jülich Center of Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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3
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Kovač V, Čurin Šerbec V. Prion Protein: The Molecule of Many Forms and Faces. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031232. [PMID: 35163156 PMCID: PMC8835406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein most abundantly found in the outer membrane of neurons. Due to structural characteristics (a flexible tail and structured core), PrPC interacts with a wide range of partners. Although PrPC has been proposed to be involved in many physiological functions, only peripheral nerve myelination homeostasis has been confirmed as a bona fide function thus far. PrPC misfolding causes prion diseases and PrPC has been shown to mediate β-rich oligomer-induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well as neuroprotection in ischemia. Upon proteolytic cleavage, PrPC is transformed into released and attached forms of PrP that can, depending on the contained structural characteristics of PrPC, display protective or toxic properties. In this review, we will outline prion protein and prion protein fragment properties as well as overview their involvement with interacting partners and signal pathways in myelination, neuroprotection and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Membrane Domain Localization and Interaction of the Prion-Family Proteins, Prion and Shadoo with Calnexin. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11120978. [PMID: 34940479 PMCID: PMC8704586 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is renowned for its infectious conformational isoform PrPSc, capable of templating subsequent conversions of healthy PrPCs and thus triggering the group of incurable diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Besides this mechanism not being fully uncovered, the protein’s physiological role is also elusive. PrPC and its newest, less understood paralog Shadoo are glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins highly expressed in the central nervous system. While they share some attributes and neuroprotective actions, opposing roles have also been reported for the two; however, the amount of data about their exact functions is lacking. Protein–protein interactions and membrane microdomain localizations are key determinants of protein function. Accurate identification of these functions for a membrane protein, however, can become biased due to interactions occurring during sample processing. To avoid such artifacts, we apply a non-detergent-based membrane-fractionation approach to study the prion protein and Shadoo. We show that the two proteins occupy similarly raft and non-raft membrane fractions when expressed in N2a cells and that both proteins pull down the chaperone calnexin in both rafts and non-rafts. These indicate their possible binding to calnexin in both types of membrane domains, which might be a necessary requisite to aid the inherently unstable native conformation during their lifetime.
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Panes JD, Saavedra P, Pineda B, Escobar K, Cuevas ME, Moraga-Cid G, Fuentealba J, Rivas CI, Rezaei H, Muñoz-Montesino C. PrP C as a Transducer of Physiological and Pathological Signals. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:762918. [PMID: 34880726 PMCID: PMC8648500 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.762918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
After the discovery of prion phenomenon, the physiological role of the cellular prion protein (PrP C ) remained elusive. In the past decades, molecular and cellular analysis has shed some light regarding interactions and functions of PrP C in health and disease. PrP C , which is located mainly at the plasma membrane of neuronal cells attached by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, can act as a receptor or transducer from external signaling. Although the precise role of PrP C remains elusive, a variety of functions have been proposed for this protein, namely, neuronal excitability and viability. Although many issues must be solved to clearly define the role of PrP C , its connection to the central nervous system (CNS) and to several misfolding-associated diseases makes PrP C an interesting pharmacological target. In a physiological context, several reports have proposed that PrP C modulates synaptic transmission, interacting with various proteins, namely, ion pumps, channels, and metabotropic receptors. PrP C has also been implicated in the pathophysiological cell signaling induced by β-amyloid peptide that leads to synaptic dysfunction in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as a mediator of Aβ-induced cell toxicity. Additionally, it has been implicated in other proteinopathies as well. In this review, we aimed to analyze the role of PrP C as a transducer of physiological and pathological signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica D Panes
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Paulina Saavedra
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Benjamin Pineda
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Kathleen Escobar
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.,Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Magdalena E Cuevas
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Gustavo Moraga-Cid
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Jorge Fuentealba
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Coralia I Rivas
- Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Human Rezaei
- Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires (VIM), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Versailles, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Carola Muñoz-Montesino
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Linsenmeier L, Mohammadi B, Shafiq M, Frontzek K, Bär J, Shrivastava AN, Damme M, Song F, Schwarz A, Da Vela S, Massignan T, Jung S, Correia A, Schmitz M, Puig B, Hornemann S, Zerr I, Tatzelt J, Biasini E, Saftig P, Schweizer M, Svergun D, Amin L, Mazzola F, Varani L, Thapa S, Gilch S, Schätzl H, Harris DA, Triller A, Mikhaylova M, Aguzzi A, Altmeppen HC, Glatzel M. Ligands binding to the prion protein induce its proteolytic release with therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative proteinopathies. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj1826. [PMID: 34818048 PMCID: PMC8612689 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The prion protein (PrPC) is a central player in neurodegenerative diseases, such as prion diseases or Alzheimer’s disease. In contrast to disease-promoting cell surface PrPC, extracellular fragments act neuroprotective by blocking neurotoxic disease-associated protein conformers. Fittingly, PrPC release by the metalloprotease ADAM10 represents a protective mechanism. We used biochemical, cell biological, morphological, and structural methods to investigate mechanisms stimulating this proteolytic shedding. Shed PrP negatively correlates with prion conversion and is markedly redistributed in murine brain in the presence of prion deposits or amyloid plaques, indicating a sequestrating activity. PrP-directed ligands cause structural changes in PrPC and increased shedding in cells and organotypic brain slice cultures. As an exception, some PrP-directed antibodies targeting repetitive epitopes do not cause shedding but surface clustering, endocytosis, and degradation of PrPC. Both mechanisms may contribute to beneficial actions described for PrP-directed ligands and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies against currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Linsenmeier
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Behnam Mohammadi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohsin Shafiq
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karl Frontzek
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Bär
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Amulya N. Shrivastava
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Markus Damme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Feizhi Song
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Schwarz
- Institute of Nanostructure and Solid State Physics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefano Da Vela
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tania Massignan
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Sebastian Jung
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Angela Correia
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmitz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Berta Puig
- Department of Neurology, Experimental Research in Stroke and Inflammation, UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Hornemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany
| | - Emiliano Biasini
- Dulbecco Telethon Laboratory of Prions and Amyloids, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Paul Saftig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Dmitri Svergun
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ladan Amin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Federica Mazzola
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Simrika Thapa
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sabine Gilch
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hermann Schätzl
- Calgary Prion Research Unit, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - David A. Harris
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antoine Triller
- École Normale Supérieure, Institut de Biologie de l’ENS (IBENS), INSERM, CNRS, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Marina Mikhaylova
- Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), UKE, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hermann C. Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
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Dexter E, Kong Q. Neuroprotective effect and potential of cellular prion protein and its cleavage products for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders part II: strategies for therapeutics development. Expert Rev Neurother 2021; 21:983-991. [PMID: 34470554 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2021.1965882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The cellular prion protein (PrPC), some of its derivatives (especially PrP N-terminal N1 peptide and shed PrP), and PrPC-containing exosomes have strong neuroprotective activities, which have been reviewed in the companion article (Part I) and are briefly summarized here.Areas covered: We propose that elevating the extracellular levels of a protective PrP form using gene therapy and other approaches is a very promising novel avenue for prophylactic and therapeutic treatments against prion disease, Alzheimer's disease, and several other neurodegenerative diseases. We will dissect the pros and cons of various potential PrP-based treatment options and propose a few strategies that are more likely to succeed. The cited references were obtained from extensive PubMed searches of recent literature, including peer-reviewed original articles and review articles.Expert opinion: Concurrent knockdown of celllular PrP expression and elevation of the extracellular levels of a neuroprotective PrP N-terminal peptide via optimized gene therapy vectors is a highly promising broad-spectrum prophylactic and therapeutic strategy against several neurodegenerative diseases, including prion diseases, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Dexter
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Qingzhong Kong
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Dexter E, Kong Q. Neuroprotective effect and potential of cellular prion protein and its cleavage products for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders part I. a literature review. Expert Rev Neurother 2021; 21:969-982. [PMID: 34470561 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2021.1965881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is well known for its pathogenic roles in prion diseases, several other neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease), and multiple types of cancer, but the beneficial aspects of PrPC and its cleavage products received much less attention. AREAS COVERED Here the authors will systematically review the literatures on the negative as well as protective aspects of PrPC and its derivatives (especially PrP N-terminal N1 peptide and shed PrP). The authors will dissect the current findings on N1 and shed PrP, including evidence for their neuroprotective effects, the categories of PrPC cleavage, and numerous cleavage enzymes involved. The authors will also discuss the protective effects and therapeutic potentials of PrPC-rich exosomes. The cited articles were obtained from extensive PubMed searches of recent literature, including peer-reviewed original articles and review articles. EXPERT OPINION PrP and its N-terminal fragments have strong neuroprotective activities that should be explored for therapeutics and prophylactics development against prion disease, Alzheimer's disease and a few other neurodegenerative diseases. The strategies to develop PrP-based therapeutics and prophylactics for these neurodegenerative diseases will be discussed in a companion article (Part II).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Dexter
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Qingzhong Kong
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
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Wang XT, Sun H, Chen NH, Yuan YH. Tunneling nanotubes: A novel pharmacological target for neurodegenerative diseases? Pharmacol Res 2021; 170:105541. [PMID: 33711434 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Diversiform ways of intercellular communication are vital links in maintaining homeostasis and disseminating physiological states. Among intercellular bridges, tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) discovered in 2004 were recognized as potential pharmacology targets related to the pathogenesis of common or infrequent neurodegenerative disorders. The neurotoxic aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases including scrapie prion protein (PrPSc), mutant tau protein, amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein, alpha-synuclein (α-syn) as well as mutant Huntington (mHTT) protein could promote TNT formation via certain physiological mechanisms, in turn, mediating the intercellular transmission of neurotoxicity. In this review, we described in detail the skeleton, the formation, the physicochemical properties, and the functions of TNTs, while paying particular attention to the key role of TNTs in the transport of pathological proteins during neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Tong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica& Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Hua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica& Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.
| | - Nai-Hong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica& Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Yu-He Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica& Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
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10
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Sangeetham SB, Engelke AD, Fodor E, Krausz SL, Tatzelt J, Welker E. The G127V variant of the prion protein interferes with dimer formation in vitro but not in cellulo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3116. [PMID: 33542378 PMCID: PMC7862613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82647-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrapie prion, PrPSc, formation is the central event of all types of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), while the pathway with possible intermediates and their mechanism of formation from the normal isoform of prion (PrP), remains not fully understood. Recently, the G127V variant of the human PrP is reported to render the protein refractory to transmission of TSEs, via a yet unknown mechanism. Molecular dynamics studies suggested that this mutation interferes with the formation of PrP dimers. Here we analyze the dimerization of 127G and 127VPrP, in both in vitro and a mammalian cell culture system. Our results show that while molecular dynamics may capture the features affecting dimerization in vitro, G127V inhibiting dimer formation of PrP, these are not evidenced in a more complex cellular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudheer Babu Sangeetham
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, 6726, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Multidisciplinary Medical Sciences, University of Szeged, Dugonics square 13, Szeged, 6720, Hungary
| | - Anna Dorothee Engelke
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Elfrieda Fodor
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, 6726, Hungary
| | - Sarah Laura Krausz
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
- School of Ph.D. Studies, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1085, Hungary
- Aktogen Hungary Ltd., Kecskemét, 6000, Hungary
| | - Jörg Tatzelt
- Department Biochemistry of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Ervin Welker
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, 6726, Hungary.
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
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11
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Hosszu LLP, Conners R, Sangar D, Batchelor M, Sawyer EB, Fisher S, Cliff MJ, Hounslow AM, McAuley K, Leo Brady R, Jackson GS, Bieschke J, Waltho JP, Collinge J. Structural effects of the highly protective V127 polymorphism on human prion protein. Commun Biol 2020; 3:402. [PMID: 32728168 PMCID: PMC7391680 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01126-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases, a group of incurable, lethal neurodegenerative disorders of mammals including humans, are caused by prions, assemblies of misfolded host prion protein (PrP). A single point mutation (G127V) in human PrP prevents prion disease, however the structural basis for its protective effect remains unknown. Here we show that the mutation alters and constrains the PrP backbone conformation preceding the PrP β-sheet, stabilising PrP dimer interactions by increasing intermolecular hydrogen bonding. It also markedly changes the solution dynamics of the β2-α2 loop, a region of PrP structure implicated in prion transmission and cross-species susceptibility. Both of these structural changes may affect access to protein conformers susceptible to prion formation and explain its profound effect on prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo L P Hosszu
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Rebecca Conners
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
- University of Bristol, School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Clifton, BS8 1TD, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Daljit Sangar
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Mark Batchelor
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Elizabeth B Sawyer
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Stuart Fisher
- Diamond Light Source, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
- ESRF, 71, Avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Matthew J Cliff
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
| | - Andrea M Hounslow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Katherine McAuley
- Diamond Light Source, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0DE, UK
| | - R Leo Brady
- University of Bristol, School of Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Clifton, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Graham S Jackson
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jan Bieschke
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Jonathan P Waltho
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7DN, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - John Collinge
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, 33 Cleveland Street, London, W1W 7FF, UK.
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12
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Gao Z, Shi J, Cai L, Luo M, Wong BS, Dong X, Sy MS, Li C. Prion dimer is heterogenous and is modulated by multiple negative and positive motifs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 509:570-576. [PMID: 30600179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.12.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of the normal prion protein (PrP) into a scrapie prion (PrPSc) is incompletely understood. Theoretically, the smallest PrP aggregate is a dimer. Human PrP contains two cysteines at positions 179 (C179) and 214 (C214) enabling disulfide bonding. Here, we report that our recombinant human PrP (r-hPrP) preparations contain 0.2-0.8% dimer, which is linked by either one or two disulfide bonds, connected by C179-C179, C214-C214, or C179-C214. Furthermore, dimerization is regulated by multiple motifs. While residues 36-42 inhibit, residues 90-125, and 195-212 promote dimerization. Mutating individual residue between 36 and 42 enhances dimerization whereas mutating the positively charged residues within 95-115, or the negatively charged residues within 195-212 prevent dimerization. Although deletion of the entire octapeptide-repeat (5OR) region prevents dimerization, mutating the histidines within the 5OR enhances dimerization. In addition, we found that two out of three brain lysates from patients with inherited prion disease had more PrP dimers than controls. Thus, PrP dimerization may contribute to prion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Gao
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China; Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 78 Heng Zhi Gang Road, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Jing Shi
- Xiangyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 172 Tan Xi Road, Xiangyang, Hubei, China
| | - Lili Cai
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Minhua Luo
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Boon-Seng Wong
- Health and Social Sciences Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
| | - Xiaoping Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (Zhejiang University), National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chang-Bai Rd 155, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Man-Sun Sy
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, USA
| | - Chaoyang Li
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, 44 Xiao Hong Shan Zhong Qu, Wuhan, 430071, China; Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 78 Heng Zhi Gang Road, Guangzhou, 510095, China.
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