Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the cellular prion protein (PrPC) conversion into a misfolded and infectious isoform termed prion or PrPSc. The neuropathological mechanism underlying prion toxicity is still unclear, and the debate on prion protein gain- or loss-of-function is still open. PrPC participates to a plethora of physiological mechanisms. For instance, PrPC and copper cooperatively modulate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activity by mediating S-nitrosylation, an inhibitory post-translational modification, hence protecting neurons from excitotoxicity. Here, NMDAR S-nitrosylation levels were biochemically investigated at pre- and post-symptomatic stages of mice intracerebrally inoculated with RML, 139A, and ME7 prion strains. Neuropathological aspects of prion disease were studied by histological analysis and proteinase K digestion. We report that hippocampal NMDAR S-nitrosylation is greatly reduced in all three prion strain infections in both pre-symptomatic and terminal stages of mouse disease. Indeed, we show that NMDAR S-nitrosylation dysregulation affecting prion-inoculated animals precedes the appearance of clinical signs of disease and visible neuropathological changes, such as PrPSc accumulation and deposition. The pre-symptomatic reduction of NMDAR S-nitrosylation in prion-infected mice may be a possible cause of neuronal death in prion pathology, and it might contribute to the pathology progression opening new therapeutic strategies against prion disorders.

Prions Strongly Reduce NMDA Receptor S-Nitrosylation Levels at Pre-symptomatic and Terminal Stages of Prion Diseases / Meneghetti, Elisa; Gasperini, Lisa; Virgilio, Tommaso; Moda, Fabio; Tagliavini, Fabrizio; Benetti, Federico; Legname, Giuseppe. - In: MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY. - ISSN 0893-7648. - 56:(2019), pp. 6035-6045. [10.1007/s12035-019-1505-6]

Prions Strongly Reduce NMDA Receptor S-Nitrosylation Levels at Pre-symptomatic and Terminal Stages of Prion Diseases

Meneghetti, Elisa;Gasperini, Lisa;Moda, Fabio;TAGLIAVINI, Fabrizio;Benetti, Federico;Legname, Giuseppe
2019-01-01

Abstract

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the cellular prion protein (PrPC) conversion into a misfolded and infectious isoform termed prion or PrPSc. The neuropathological mechanism underlying prion toxicity is still unclear, and the debate on prion protein gain- or loss-of-function is still open. PrPC participates to a plethora of physiological mechanisms. For instance, PrPC and copper cooperatively modulate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activity by mediating S-nitrosylation, an inhibitory post-translational modification, hence protecting neurons from excitotoxicity. Here, NMDAR S-nitrosylation levels were biochemically investigated at pre- and post-symptomatic stages of mice intracerebrally inoculated with RML, 139A, and ME7 prion strains. Neuropathological aspects of prion disease were studied by histological analysis and proteinase K digestion. We report that hippocampal NMDAR S-nitrosylation is greatly reduced in all three prion strain infections in both pre-symptomatic and terminal stages of mouse disease. Indeed, we show that NMDAR S-nitrosylation dysregulation affecting prion-inoculated animals precedes the appearance of clinical signs of disease and visible neuropathological changes, such as PrPSc accumulation and deposition. The pre-symptomatic reduction of NMDAR S-nitrosylation in prion-infected mice may be a possible cause of neuronal death in prion pathology, and it might contribute to the pathology progression opening new therapeutic strategies against prion disorders.
2019
56
6035
6045
Meneghetti, Elisa; Gasperini, Lisa; Virgilio, Tommaso; Moda, Fabio; Tagliavini, Fabrizio; Benetti, Federico; Legname, Giuseppe
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/127325
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