scholarly journals Characterization of two distinct prion strains derived from bovine spongiform encephalopathy transmissions to inbred mice

2004 ◽  
Vol 85 (8) ◽  
pp. 2471-2478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Lloyd ◽  
Jacqueline M. Linehan ◽  
Melanie Desbruslais ◽  
Susan Joiner ◽  
Jennifer Buckell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Incubation Time ◽  
Inbred Mice ◽  
Biochemical Properties ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Strain ◽  
Disease Phenotypes ◽  
Prion Strains

Distinct prion strains can be distinguished by differences in incubation period, neuropathology and biochemical properties of disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) in inoculated mice. Reliable comparisons of mouse prion strain properties can only be achieved after passage in genetically identical mice, as host prion protein sequence and genetic background are known to modulate prion disease phenotypes. While multiple prion strains have been identified in sheep scrapie and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is thought to be caused by a single prion strain. Primary passage of BSE prions to different lines of inbred mice resulted in the propagation of two distinct PrPSc types, suggesting that two prion strains may have been isolated. To investigate this further, these isolates were subpassaged in a single line of inbred mice (SJL) and it was confirmed that two distinct prion strains had been identified. MRC1 was characterized by a short incubation time (110±3 days), a mono-glycosylated-dominant PrPSc type and a generalized diffuse pattern of PrP-immunoreactive deposits, while MRC2 displayed a much longer incubation time (155±1 days), a di-glycosylated-dominant PrPSc type and a distinct pattern of PrP-immunoreactive deposits and neuronal loss. These data indicate a crucial involvement of the host genome in modulating prion strain selection and propagation in mice. It is possible that multiple disease phenotypes may also be possible in BSE prion infection in humans and other animals.

scholarly journals Transmission of scrapie and sheep-passaged bovine spongiform encephalopathy prions to transgenic mice expressing elk prion protein

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 1035-1047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gültekin Tamgüney ◽  
Michael W. Miller ◽  
Kurt Giles ◽  
Azucena Lemus ◽  
David V. Glidden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Incubation Time ◽  
Transmitted Disease ◽  
Cerebellar Nuclei ◽  
Infected Sheep ◽  
Neurological Dysfunction ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Naturally Occurring

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible, fatal prion disease of cervids and is largely confined to North America. The origin of CWD continues to pose a conundrum: does the disease arise spontaneously or result from some other naturally occurring reservoir? To address whether prions from sheep might be able to cause disease in cervids, we inoculated mice expressing the elk prion protein (PrP) transgene [Tg(ElkPrP) mice] with two scrapie prion isolates. The SSBP/1 scrapie isolate transmitted disease to Tg(ElkPrP) mice with a median incubation time of 270 days, but a second isolate failed to produce neurological dysfunction in these mice. Although prions from cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) did not transmit to the Tg(ElkPrP) mice, they did transmit after being passaged through sheep. In Tg(ElkPrP) mice, the sheep-passaged BSE prions exhibited an incubation time of approximately 300 days. SSBP/1 prions produced abundant deposits of the disease-causing PrP isoform, denoted PrPSc, in the cerebellum and pons of Tg(ElkPrP) mice, whereas PrPSc accumulation in Tg mice inoculated with sheep-passaged BSE prions was confined to the deep cerebellar nuclei, habenula and the brainstem. The susceptibility of ‘cervidized’ mice to ‘ovinized’ prions raises the question about why CWD has not been reported in other parts of the world where cervids and scrapie-infected sheep coexist.

scholarly journals Host Determinants of Prion Strain Diversity Independent of Prion Protein Genotype

2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (20) ◽  
pp. 10427-10441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Crowell ◽  
Andrew Hughson ◽  
Byron Caughey ◽  
Richard A. Bessen
Keyword(s):  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Phenotypic Diversity ◽  
Prion Diseases ◽  
Conformational Stability ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Prion Strain ◽  
Disease Phenotypes ◽  
Prion Strains

ABSTRACTPhenotypic diversity in prion diseases can be specified by prion strains in which biological traits are propagated through an epigenetic mechanism mediated by distinct PrPScconformations. We investigated the role of host-dependent factors on phenotypic diversity of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in different host species that express the same prion protein gene (Prnp). Two CWD strains that have distinct biological, biochemical, and pathological features were identified in transgenic mice that express the Syrian golden hamster (SGH)Prnp. The CKY strain of CWD had a shorter incubation period than the WST strain of CWD, but after transmission to SGH, the incubation period of CKY CWD was ∼150 days longer than WST CWD. Limited proteinase K digestion revealed strain-specific PrPScpolypeptide patterns that were maintained in both hosts, but the solubility and conformational stability of PrPScdiffered for the CWD strains in a host-dependent manner. WST CWD produced PrPScamyloid plaques in the brain of the SGH that were partially insoluble and stable at a high concentration of protein denaturant. However, in transgenic mice, PrPScfrom WST CWD did not assemble into plaques, was highly soluble, and had low conformational stability. Similar studies using the HY and DY strains of transmissible mink encephalopathy resulted in minor differences in prion biological and PrPScproperties between transgenic mice and SGH. These findings indicate that host-specific pathways that are independent ofPrnpcan alter the PrPScconformation of certain prion strains, leading to changes in the biophysical properties of PrPSc, neuropathology, and clinical prion disease.IMPORTANCEPrions are misfolded pathogenic proteins that cause neurodegeneration in humans and animals. Transmissible prion diseases exhibit a spectrum of disease phenotypes and the basis of this diversity is encoded in the structure of the pathogenic prion protein and propagated by an epigenetic mechanism. In the present study, we investigated prion diversity in two hosts species that express the same prion protein gene. While prior reports have demonstrated that prion strain properties are stable upon infection of the same host species and prion protein genotype, our findings indicate that certain prion strains can undergo dramatic changes in biological properties that are not dependent on the prion protein. Therefore, host factors independent of the prion protein can affect prion diversity. Understanding how host pathways can modify prion disease phenotypes may provide clues on how to alter prion formation and lead to treatments for prion, and other, human neurodegenerative diseases of protein misfolding.

scholarly journals Microglial Cell Line Established from Prion Protein-Overexpressing Mice Is Susceptible to Various Murine Prion Strains

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 1524-1527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshifumi Iwamaru ◽  
Takato Takenouchi ◽  
Kazumasa Ogihara ◽  
Megumi Hoshino ◽  
Masuhiro Takata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Line ◽  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Microglial Cell ◽  
Prion Diseases ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Strains ◽  
Microglial Cell Line ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

ABSTRACT Several lines of evidence suggest that microglia have important roles in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Here, we establish a novel microglial cell line (MG20) from neonatal tga20 mice that overexpress murine prion protein. After exposure to Chandler scrapie, we observed the replication and accumulation of disease-associated forms of the prion protein in MG20 cells up to the 15th passage. Furthermore, MG20 cells were susceptible to ME7, Obihiro scrapie, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy agents. Thus, MG20 cell lines persistently infected with various murine prion strains provide a useful model for the study of the pathogenesis of prion diseases.

scholarly journals Porcine Prion Protein as a Paradigm of Limited Susceptibility to Prion Strain Propagation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Espinosa ◽  
Alba Marín-Moreno ◽  
Patricia Aguilar-Calvo ◽  
Sylvie L Benestad ◽  
Olivier Andreoletti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prion Protein ◽  
Protein Misfolding ◽  
Prion Diseases ◽  
Conformational Flexibility ◽  
Cellular Prion Protein ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Strain ◽  
Experimental Transmission ◽  
Prion Strains ◽  
Jakob Disease

Abstract Although experimental transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to pigs and transgenic mice expressing pig cellular prion protein (PrPC) (porcine PrP [PoPrP]–Tg001) has been described, no natural cases of prion diseases in pig were reported. This study analyzed pig-PrPC susceptibility to different prion strains using PoPrP-Tg001 mice either as animal bioassay or as substrate for protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). A panel of isolates representatives of different prion strains was selected, including classic and atypical/Nor98 scrapie, atypical-BSE, rodent scrapie, human Creutzfeldt-Jakob-disease and classic BSE from different species. Bioassay proved that PoPrP-Tg001-mice were susceptible only to the classic BSE agent, and PMCA results indicate that only classic BSE can convert pig-PrPC into scrapie-type PrP (PrPSc), independently of the species origin. Therefore, conformational flexibility constraints associated with pig-PrP would limit the number of permissible PrPSc conformations compatible with pig-PrPC, thus suggesting that pig-PrPC may constitute a paradigm of low conformational flexibility that could confer high resistance to the diversity of prion strains.

scholarly journals Presence of subclinical infection in gene-targeted human prion protein transgenic mice exposed to atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy

2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (12) ◽  
pp. 2819-2827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rona Wilson ◽  
Karen Dobie ◽  
Nora Hunter ◽  
Cristina Casalone ◽  
Thierry Baron ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Human Prion Protein

The transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to humans, leading to variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease has demonstrated that cattle transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) can pose a risk to human health. Until recently, TSE disease in cattle was thought to be caused by a single agent strain, BSE, also known as classical BSE, or BSE-C. However, due to the initiation of a large-scale surveillance programme throughout Europe, two atypical BSE strains, bovine amyloidotic spongiform encephalopathy (BASE, also named BSE-L) and BSE-H have since been discovered. To model the risk to human health, we previously inoculated these two forms of atypical BSE (BASE and BSE-H) into gene-targeted transgenic (Tg) mice expressing the human prion protein (PrP) (HuTg) but were unable to detect any signs of TSE pathology in these mice. However, despite the absence of TSE pathology, upon subpassage of some BASE-challenged HuTg mice, a TSE was observed in recipient gene-targeted bovine PrP Tg (Bov6) mice but not in HuTg mice. Disease transmission from apparently healthy individuals indicates the presence of subclinical BASE infection in mice expressing human PrP that cannot be identified by current diagnostic methods. However, due to the lack of transmission to HuTg mice on subpassage, the efficiency of mouse-to-mouse transmission of BASE appears to be low when mice express human rather than bovine PrP.

scholarly journals Discriminating Scrapie and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Isolates by Infrared Spectroscopy of Pathological Prion Protein

2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (32) ◽  
pp. 33847-33854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achim Thomzig ◽  
Sashko Spassov ◽  
Manuela Friedrich ◽  
Dieter Naumann ◽  
Michael Beekes
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy

scholarly journals Prevalent abnormal prion protein in human appendixes after bovine spongiform encephalopathy epizootic: large scale survey

BMJ ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 347 (oct15 5) ◽  
pp. f5675-f5675 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. N. Gill ◽  
Y. Spencer ◽  
A. Richard-Loendt ◽  
C. Kelly ◽  
R. Dabaghian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Large Scale Survey

scholarly journals First Report of the Potential Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)-Related Somatic Mutation E211K of the Prion Protein Gene (PRNP) in Cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sae-Young Won ◽  
Yong-Chan Kim ◽  
Byung-Hoon Jeong
Keyword(s):  
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Somatic Mutation ◽  
Prion Disease ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Somatic Mutations ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Prnp Gene ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathy ◽  
Prion Protein Gene

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a prion disease characterized by spongiform degeneration and astrocytosis in the brain. Unlike classical BSE, which is caused by prion-disease-contaminated meat and bone meal, the cause of atypical BSE has not been determined. Since previous studies have reported that the somatic mutation in the human prion protein gene (PRNP) has been linked to human prion disease, the somatic mutation of the PRNP gene was presumed to be one cause of prion disease. However, to the best of our knowledge, the somatic mutation of this gene in cattle has not been investigated to date. We investigated somatic mutations in a total of 58 samples, including peripheral blood; brain tissue including the medulla oblongata, cerebellum, cortex, and thalamus; and skin tissue in 20 individuals from each breed using pyrosequencing. In addition, we estimated the deleterious effect of the K211 somatic mutation on bovine prion protein by in silico evaluation tools, including PolyPhen-2 and PANTHER. We found a high rate of K211 somatic mutations of the bovine PRNP gene in the medulla oblongata of three Holsteins (10% ± 4.4%, 28% ± 2%, and 19.55% ± 3.1%). In addition, in silico programs showed that the K211 somatic mutation was damaging. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate K211 somatic mutations of the bovine PRNP gene that are associated with potential BSE progression.

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