alpha-Synuclein is presynaptic nerve terminal protein and its immunoreactivity has been observed in such neurodegenerative structures as senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease or Lewy bodies of ...Parkinson's disease. The physiological role of alpha-synuclein is still unknown. It is speculated that alpha-synuclein may be expressed in brain tumors, especially in those showing neuronal differentiation. We examined the immunohistochemical localization of alpha-synuclein in 77 human brain tumors. alpha-Synuclein was widely distributed in the brain tumors showing neuronal differentiation. As a result, positive immunostaining for alpha-synuclein was observed in ganglioglioma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, pineocytoma/pineoblastoma, and central neurocytoma. Compared with other neuronal markers, the positive ratio of alpha-synuclein was not as high as synaptophysin, microtubule-associated protein 2, neuron-specific enolase and tau, but it was higher than neurofilament and chromogranin A. The expression of synaptophysin was diffusely observed in the cytoplasm, cellular processes and nucleus in tumors showing neuronal differentiation; however, the expression of alpha-synuclein was predominantly observed in the cytoplasm of the tumors as well as in the cellular processes. On the other hand, non-neuronal brain tumors such as astrocytic tumors or meningiomas were totally negative for alpha-synuclein. In conclusion, the appearance of an alpha-synuclein-positive structure was not limited to neurodegenerative diseases, but could also be detected in neoplastic cells showing neuronal differentiation.
γ-Aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor β1 (gabrb1), a subunit of GABAA receptors involved in inhibitory effects on neurotransmission, was found to associate with the formation of ...protease-resistant prion protein in prion-infected neuroblastoma cells. Silencing of gabrb1 gene expression significantly decreased the abnormal prion protein level but paradoxically increased the normal prion protein level. Treatment with a gabrb1-specific inhibitor, salicylidene salicylhydrazide, dose-dependently decreased the abnormal prion protein level, but silencing of other GABAA receptor subunits’ gene expression and treatments with the receptor antagonists and agonists did not. Therefore, gabrb1 involvement in abnormal prion protein formation is independent of GABAA receptors.
To find effective antiprion compounds, we synthesized and evaluated various pyrazolone derivatives. Seven of 19 compounds showed inhibition of PrP-res accumulation and the remarkably active compound ...13 showed an IC50 value of 3 nM in both ScN2a and F3 cell lines. Findings from studies on physicochemical and biochemical properties suggest that the action mechanism of these compounds does not correlate with any antioxidant activities, any of hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, or any SOD-like activities.
Skeins or skein-like inclusions, one of the two types of ubiquitinated intraneuronal inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in the neostriatum are not specific to the disease, but it has ...not yet been determined whether the other, spherical or crescent-shaped inclusions (SCI) are pathognomonic. To clarify this and also to investigate whether the distribution of SCI in particular brain regions is associated with clinical parameters, we examined the occurrence of SCI in the brains of 24 patients with ALS and 94 controls. SCI in the neostriatum were specifically detected in 54% of the ALS cases, but not in any of the controls. No apparent phenotypic denominator, such as disease duration or the occurrence of dementia, correlated to the distribution of SCI in the neostriatum in ALS cases. On the other hand, the occurrence of SCI in both the second and third layers of the parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala was significantly correlated to the presence of dementia in ALS cases. SCI were distributed in association with each other among the parahippocampal gyrus, dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and amygdala, but not between the spinal anterior horn and any non-motor-associated brain regions. These findings suggest that these particular brain regions might be significantly involved in the neurodegenerative process associated with ALS. The relationship of SCI to either ALS pathogenesis or cognitive dysfunction depends on the brain regions in which they are distributed, and this indicates that the neurodegenerative processes in ALS proceed differentially in particular motor-associated and nonmotor-associated brain regions.
No remedies for prion disease have been established, and the conversion of normal to abnormal prion protein, a key event in prion disease, is still unclear. Here we found that substances in beetle ...grub hemolymph, after they were browned by aging for a month or heating for hours, reduced abnormal prion protein (PrP) levels in RML prion-infected cells. Active anti-prion components in the hemolymph were resistant to protease treatment and had molecular weights larger than 100 kDa. Aminoguanidine treatment of the hemolymph abolished its anti-prion activity, suggesting that Maillard reaction products are enrolled in the activity against the RML prion. However, levels of abnormal PrP in RML prion-infected cells were not decreased by incubation with the Maillard reaction products formed by amino acids or bovine serum albumin. The anti-prion components in the hemolymph modified neither cellular or cell-surface PrP levels nor lipid raft or autophagosome levels. The anti-prion activity was not observed in cells infected with 22 L prion or Fukuoka-1 prion, suggesting the anti-prion action is prion strain-dependent. Although the active components of the hemolymph need to be further evaluated, the present findings imply that certain specific chemical structures in the hemolymph, but not chemical structures common to all Maillard reaction products, are involved in RML prion formation or turnover, without modifying normal PrP expression. The anti-prion components in the hemolymph are a new tool for elucidating strain-dependent prion biology.
Abnormal proteolysis may be involved in the motor neuron degeneration of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although several studies of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in ALS have been reported, ...the endosome-lysosome system has not been investigated in detail. To clarify the association of neurodegeneration with the endosome-lysosome system in ALS, we examined the pathological expression of cysteine proteases such as cathepsins B, H and L and an aspartate protease, cathepsin D, in the anterior horns of 15 ALS cases and 5 controls. In the ALS cases, cathepsin B immunoreactivity was preferentially decreased in the lateral parts of the anterior gray horns compared with the controls. Its immunoreactivity was increased in the cytoplasm of both shrunken and pigmented neurons but was weak in the neurons containing Bunina bodies. In addition, reactive astrocytes were also immunolabeled with cathepsin B. Cathepsin H and cathepsin L were detected in the cytoplasm of a small number of shrunken and pigmented neurons. Cathepsin D immunoreactivity was strong in the cytoplasm of all motor neurons. The immunoreactivity of cathepsins H, L and D was not significantly different between control and ALS cases. Western blot analysis showed that the 25-kDa activated form of cathepsin B was down-regulated in ALS. Our results suggest that cathepsin B is involved in the motor neuron degeneration in ALS.
A new type of antiprion compound, Gly-9, was found to inhibit abnormal prion protein formation in prion-infected neuroblastoma cells, in a prion strain-independent manner, when the cells were treated ...for more than 1 day. It reduced the intracellular prion protein level and significantly modified mRNA expression levels of genes of two types: interferon-stimulated genes were downregulated after more than 2 days of treatment, and the phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein gene, a gene involved in microtubule growth, was upregulated after more than 1 day of treatment. A supplement of interferon given to the cells partly restored the abnormal prion protein level but did not alter the normal prion protein level. This interferon action was independent of the Janus activated kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway. Therefore, the changes in interferon-stimulated genes might be a secondary effect of Gly-9 treatment. However, gene knockdown of phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein restored or increased both the abnormal prion protein level and the normal prion protein level, without transcriptional alteration of the prion protein gene. It also altered the localization of abnormal prion protein accumulation in the cells, indicating that phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein might affect prion protein levels by altering the trafficking of prion protein-containing structures. Interferon and phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein had no direct mutual link, demonstrating that they regulate abnormal prion protein levels independently. Although the in vivo efficacy of Gly-9 was limited, the findings for Gly-9 provide insights into the regulation of abnormal prion protein in cells and suggest new targets for antiprion compounds.
This report describes our study of the efficacy and potential mechanism underlying the antiprion action of a new antiprion compound with a glycoside structure in prion-infected cells, as well as the efficacy of the compound in prion-infected animals. The study revealed involvements of two factors in the compound's mechanism of action: interferon and a microtubule nucleation activator, phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein. In particular, phosphodiesterase 4D-interacting protein was suggested to be important in regulating the trafficking or fusion of prion protein-containing vesicles or structures in cells. The findings of the study are expected to be useful not only for the elucidation of cellular regulatory mechanisms of prion protein but also for the implication of new targets for therapeutic development.
In this paper, we report the synthesis and cell-based anti-prion activity of quinacrine analogs derived by replacing the basic alkyl side chain of quinacrine with 4-(4-methylpiperazin-I-yl)phenyl, ...(1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl) and their structural variants. Several promising analogs were found that have a more favorable anti-prion profile than quinacrine in terms of potency and activity across different prion-infected murine cell models. They also exhibited greater binding affinities for a human prion protein fragment (hPrP
121–231) than quinacrine, and had permeabilities on the PAMPA-BBB assay that fall within the range of CNS permeant candidates. When evaluated on bidirectional assays on a Pgp overexpressing cell line, one analog was less susceptible to Pgp efflux activity compared to quinacrine. Taken together, the results point to an important role for the substituted 9-amino side chain attached to the acridine, tetrahydroacridine and quinoline scaffolds. The nature of this side chain influenced cell-based potency, PAMPA permeability and binding affinity to hPrP
121–231.
▪
► Functionalized quinacrine analogs with basic phenyl residues were investigated. ► Compounds were more potent and have broad ranging cell-based anti-prion activity. ► A promising analog cleared PrP
Sc in 3 cell models with nanomolar EC
50. ► It binds to hPrP
121–231, is CNS + (PAMPA-BBB), and is a weaker Pgp substrate. ► Modifications have resulted in more potent and drug-like analogs.
We report here an autopsy case of a 64‐year‐old female with slowly progressive dementia and parkinsonism in a 4‐year‐long clinical course. Post‐mortem examination revealed a severely atrophic brain ...with spongiform degeneration, neuronal loss and gliosis in the gray matter. Many prion protein plaque deposits were present in the occipital lobe, amygdala and cerebellum. Additionally, Lewy bodies were observed in the brainstem. Prion protein gene analysis of the patient revealed polymorphism at the codon‐129 valine heterozygote. This genotype is known to sometimes accompany a missense mutation of the gene in uncommon hereditary prion diseases, but no mutation was found in the open reading frame. Thus, it might be suggested that this case showed simultaneously the features of both sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD) with codon‐129 valine and Parkinson's disease. However, the predisposing factors for contracting both diseases simultaneously remain to be determined, because the incidence of Parkinson's disease accompanied by CJD is very low.
Prion diseases are progressive fatal neurodegenerative illnesses caused by the accumulation of transmissible abnormal prion protein (PrP). To find treatments for prion diseases, we searched for ...substances from natural resources that inhibit abnormal PrP formation in prion-infected cells. We found that high-molecular-weight components from insect cuticle extracts reduced abnormal PrP levels. The chemical nature of these components was consistent with that of melanin. In fact, synthetic melanin produced from tyrosine or 3-hydroxy-l-tyrosine inhibited abnormal PrP formation. Melanin did not modify cellular or cell surface PrP levels, nor did it modify lipid raft or cellular cholesterol levels. Neither did it enhance autophagy or lysosomal function. Melanin was capable of interacting with PrP at two N-terminal domains. Specifically, it strongly interacted with the PrP region of amino acids 23 to 50 including a positively charged amino acid cluster and weakly interacted with the PrP octarepeat peptide region of residues 51 to 90. However, the
and
data were inconsistent with those of prion-infected cells. Abnormal PrP formation in protein misfolding cyclic amplification was not inhibited by melanin. Survival after prion infection was not significantly altered in albino mice or exogenously melanin-injected mice compared with that of control mice. These data suggest that melanin, a main determinant of skin color, is not likely to modify prion disease pathogenesis, even though racial differences in the incidence of human prion diseases have been reported. Thus, the findings identify an interaction between melanin and the N terminus of PrP, but the pathophysiological roles of the PrP-melanin interaction remain unclear.
The N-terminal region of PrP is reportedly important for neuroprotection, neurotoxicity, and abnormal PrP formation, as this region is bound by many factors, such as metal ions, lipids, nucleic acids, antiprion compounds, and several proteins, including abnormal PrP in prion disease and the Aβ oligomer in Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, melanin, a main determinant of skin color, was newly found to interact with this N-terminal region and inhibits abnormal PrP formation in prion-infected cells. However, the data for prion infection in mice lacking melanin production suggest that melanin is not associated with the prion disease mechanism, although the incidence of prion disease is reportedly much higher in white people than in black people. Thus, the roles of the PrP-melanin interaction remain to be further elucidated, but melanin might be a useful competitive tool for evaluating the functions of other ligands at the N-terminal region.
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